138 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
settled on her back, and pecked her head so furious- 
ly that she fell to the ground, where she was followed 
by the indignant blackbird, who gave her such a sound 
drubbing that he actually drove her away. Puss tried 
it once more, but with exactly the same result, and 
finally concluded that young blackbirds were not to 
be had for supper. After each battle the bird cele- 
brated his victory with a song; and evidently be- 
lieving in the wisdom of ‘ carrying the war into the 
enemy’s quarters/ for several days afterward he w T ould 
chase the cat about the garden whenever she left the 
house.” 
“ I like that fellow,” said Malcolm; “he was a 
bird worth knowing. His whipping the old cat w T as 
splendid !” 
“ I’m so glad she didn’t get the little birdies !” said 
Edith, while Clara “ hoped that Miss Harson knew 
something more about blackbirds.” 
“But, you see, we began with their being quite 
dreadful creatures,” replied the governess with a 
smile, “ and farmers would probably tell you that 
they wished the cats might get all the young ones, 
and old ones too. There is really very little more, 
though, except to say that the purple grakle and the 
fish -hawk are very intimate friends — so much so, in- 
deed, that they often keep house together in quite a 
comical way. The fish-hawk’s nest is very large — 
