OUR BIRDS IN WINTER. 
89 
movement was to fly off*, and get out of harm’s 
way, for I remembered your narrow escape ; 
but I thought that would not only be mean but 
injudicious, for how many birds would be 
killed and eaten by the monster during the 
season, who could tell. So I at once resolved 
to awaken the man. I shouted down to him 
from the tree, and made all the noise I could, 
but to no purpose : he slept soundly. The 
snake was slowly approaching him, and was 
but a few yards off, when I flew down to the 
man, and gave him a vigorous bite on the ear. 
Gracious ! what a rage he was in when he 
awoke and saw me flying up into the tree 
above him; he knew that it was T that awoke 
him, and seizing a stone, he threw it at me 
with such precision that it struck on the limb 
beneath me, and within an inch of my breast ; 
the shock was sufficient almost to stun me, 
and I was almost sorry that I took so much 
trouble with him. 
At this moment the snake began to rattle, 
and throwing itself into a coil, awaited the 
approach of the man ; fortunately he saw the 
