hance, been bereaved of his own
younglings, and felt moved to bestow his parental care upon somebody?
Did he wish to experiment with some theory of his own on another's baby?
Was it his aim to coax that young redstart to desert his family and
follow after the traditions of the chestnut-sided?

Alas! how easy to ask; how hard to answer!

By this time I had become as absorbed in the drama as my companion. We
forgot, or postponed, the blue, and gave the day to study of this case
of domestic infelicity. Five long hours we sat there (morning and
afternoon) before the stage on which the interesting but agitating play
went on; and after tea, just before dark, we came out again. All this
time the war between the two still raged, with no abatement of spirit.

Breakfast was not loitered over on the following morning, and we hurried
out to our post. The situation was changed a little. The youngster had
made up his mind to go out into the world. He had moved as far as the
branch, a few inches from the nest, and was still fed on both sides by
his zealous providers. Mamma, however, though every time repelling her
unwelcome assistant, was not so nervous. Perhaps she realized that a few
hours more would end the trouble. She fed, she encouraged, and pretty
soon, while we looked, the infant flew to the nearest tree.

Now the chestnut-sided began to have difficulty in following up his
self-imposed charge. He took to coming close upon the mother's heels to
see where she went. But this course was attended with the difficulty
that the instant she had fed she was ready to turn upon him, which she
never failed to do.

After several short flights about the tree, the young bird, grown
bolder, perhaps by over-feeding, for surely never nestling was stuffed
as that one was, attempted a more ambitious flight, failed, and came
fluttering to the ground, much to the dismay of his mamma, who followed
him closely all the way.

This was our opportunity, the moment we had waited for; we must see that
disputed baby!

My comrade dropped everything and ran to the spot. A moment's scrambling
about on the ground, a few careful "grabs" among the dead leaves, and
she held the exhausted little fellow in her hand. He was not frightened;
but his mother was greatly disturbed at first. We were too interested in
this case to heed her, and indeed after a moment's demonstration she
flew away and left him in our hands.

We examined him minutely, and I noted his m