LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
83 
lip a few stones to frighten the old bird^ not caring 
to risk a welcome from her sharp beak. 'She 
rushed out, and took her position on a neighbouring 
tree, anxiously watching our motions. The boy 
pulled out one of the callow young, which I gently 
examined. It was nearly fledged-; ■ the young 
feathers of the wings being very conspicuous from 
their bright golden colour. It was not pretty ; 
young birds never are. I soon put it back again, 
and afterwards, whether they were congratulating 
it on its return, or what, I don’t know ; but if you 
had heard the odd snoring or hissing that they 
kept up for some time, you would have thought 
the whole nation of snakes had been there in 
parliament assembled,” The anxious mother soon 
flew in again when we had removed our ladder, 
gratified, no doubt, to find no murder done. 
This fine bird is as common here as in the north : 
he has many names, but ^^yellow-hammer” is that 
by which he is best known here. The bill of the 
genus generally is straight, grooved, and wedge- 
shaped, but in this species it is more taper, is 
slightly curved, and has very little of the wedge 
form, but is equally adapted for the supply of its 
wants, which is sought more on the ground than 
that of his brethren. 
The other bird that I mentioned is much more 
diminutive, and has manifested a more familiar 
confidence in man. It is the Carolina Wren (Tro- 
glodytes Ludovtcmnus). Mr. Bohanan is enlarging 
his house, by putting up an additional apartment ; 
the frame is up, and they are clap-boarding it ; and 
it is in this frame, in the angle of one of the beams^ 
hidden from view below, that the bold little bird 
has determined to bring up her family. The talking 
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