78 
BIRDS 
the bird would tear herself away, and, 
apparently faint and sobbing, retire to a 
higher branch. His reputed powers of 
fascination availed him little, though it 
is possible that a more timid and less 
combative bird might have been held by 
the fatal spell. Presently, as he came 
gliding down the slender body of a lean¬ 
ing Alder, his attention was attracted by 
a slight movement of my arm ; eying me 
an instant, with that crouching, utter, 
motionless gaze which 1 believe only 
snakes and devils can assume, he turned 
quickly,—a feat which necessitated some¬ 
thing like crawling over his own body,— 
and glided off through the branches, evi¬ 
dently recognizing in me a representa¬ 
tive of the ancient parties he once so 
cunningly ruined. A few moments after, 
as he lay, carelessly disposed in the top 
of a rank Alder, trying to look as much 
like a crooked branch as his supple, shin¬ 
ing form would admit, the old vengeance 
overtook him. I exercised my preroga¬ 
tive, and a well-directed missile in the 
shape of a stone, brought him looping 
and writhing to the ground. After I 
