t could be he hadn't the least idea.
"Jenny Wren will know," thought Peter and scampered off to hunt her up.

"Who is that new member of the Blackbird family who has come to live in
the Old Orchard?" Peter asked as soon as he found Jenny Wren.

"There isn't any new member of the Blackbird family living in the Old
Orchard," retorted Jenny Wren tartly.

"There is too," contradicted Peter. "I saw him with my own eyes. I can
see him now. He's sitting in that tree over yonder this very minute.
He's all black, so of course he must be a member of the Blackbird
family."

"Tut, tut, tut, tut, tut!" scolded Jenny Wren. "Tut, tut, tut, tut, tut!
That fellow isn't a member of the Blackbird family at all, and what's
more, he isn't black. Go over there and take a good look at him; then
come back and tell me if you still think he is black."

Jenny turned her back on Peter and went to hunting worms. There being
nothing else to do, Peter hopped over where he could get a good look at
the stranger. The sun was shining full on him, and he wasn't black at
all. Jenny Wren was right. For the most part he was very dark green. At
least, that is what Peter thought at first glance. Then, as the stranger
moved, he seemed to be a rich purple in places. In short he changed
color as he turned. His feathers were like those of Creaker the
Grackle--iridescent. All over he was speckled with tiny light spots.
Underneath he was dark brownish-gray. His wings and tail were of the
same color, with little touches of buff. His rather large bill was
yellow.

Peter hurried back to Jenny Wren and it must be confessed he looked
sheepish. "You were right, Jenny Wren; he isn't black at all," confessed
Peter. "Of course I was right. I usually am," retorted Jenny. "He isn't
black, he isn't even related to the Blackbird family, and he hasn't
any business in the Old Orchard. In fact, if you ask me, he hasn't any
business in this country anyway. He's a foreigner. That's what he is--a
foreigner."

"But you haven't told me who he is," protested Peter.

"He is Speckles the Starling, and he isn't really an American at all,"
replied Jenny. "He comes from across the ocean the same as Bully the
English Sparrow. Thank goodness he hasn't such a quarrelsome disposition
as Bully. Just the same, the rest of us would be better satisfied if he
were not here. He has taken possession of one of the old homes of Yellow
Wing the Flicker, and that means one less house for birds who