as
absolutely motionless as possible, they eyed me with suspicion; from the
first they "huffed" at me, and at this point began to squawk the moment
I entered the gate. On one occasion I discovered that by changing my
seat I could actually see the nest, which I much desired; so I removed
while the birds were absent. Madam was the first to return, with a
beakful of food; she saw me instantly, and was too much excited to
dispose of her load. She came to my side of her tree, squawked loudly,
flapping her wings and jerking herself about. I remained motionless and
did not look at her, pretending to be absorbed in my book; but she
refused to be mollified. It evidently did not please her to have me see
so plainly; she desired to retain the friendly screen of leaves which
had secured her a small measure of privacy. I could not blame her; I
felt myself intrusive; and at last I respected her wishes and returned
to my old place, when she immediately calmed down and administered the
food she had held till then. Poor mother! those were trying times. Her
solicitude overpowered her discretion, and her manner proclaimed to
every one within hearing that the nestlings were out. Then, too, on the
eighth day the little ones added their voices, and soon called loudly
enough to attract the dullest of nest-robbers. I was so fearful lest
that nest should be disturbed that I scarcely dared to sleep o' nights;
the birds themselves were hardly more anxious than I was.

The eleventh day of the birdlings' life was exceedingly warm, without a
breath of air stirring, suffocating to humanity, but preeminently
inspiring to mocking-birds, and every singer within a mile of me, I am
sure, was singing madly, excepting the newly made parent. Upon reaching
my usual seat I knew at once, by the louder cry, that a young bird was
out of the nest, and after some searching through the tree I found
him,--a yellowish-drab little fellow, with very decided wing-markings, a
tail perhaps an inch in length, and soft slate-colored spots, so long as
almost to be streaks, on the breast. He was scrambling about the
branches, always trying to get a higher place, calling and perking his
insignificant tail in true mocking-bird fashion. I think the parents
disapproved this early ambition, for they did not feed him for a long
time, though they passed him to go to the nest. So far from being
lightened, their cares were greatly increased by the precociousness of
the youngster, and