Consider the marvellous life of a bird and the manner of its whole existence.... Consider the powers of that little mind of which the inner light flashes from the round bright eye; the skill in building its home, in finding its food, in protecting its mate, in serving its offspring, in preserving its own existence, surrounded as it is on all sides by the most rapacious enemies.... When left alone it is such a lovely little life--cradled among the hawthorn buds, searching for aphidae amongst apple blossoms, drinking dew from the cup of a lily; awake when the gray light breaks in the east, throned on the topmost branch of a tree, swinging with it in the sunshine, flying from it through the air; then the friendly quarrel with a neighbor over a worm or berry; the joy of bearing grass-seed to his mate where she sits low down amongst the docks and daisies; the triumph of singing the praise of sunshine or of moonlight; the merry, busy, useful days; the peaceful sleep, steeped in the scent of the closed flower, with head under one wing and the leaves forming a green roof above. --OUIDA. THE YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. I am often heard, but seldom seen. If I were a little boy or a little girl, grown people would tell me I should be seen and not heard. That's the difference between you and a bird like me, you see. It would repay you to make my acquaintance. I am such a jolly bird. Sometimes I get all the dogs in my neighborhood howling by whistling just like their masters. Another time I mew like a cat, then again I give some soft sweet notes different from those of any bird you ever heard. In the spring, when my mate and I begin house-keeping, I do some very funny things, like the clown in a circus. I feel so happy that I go up a tree branch by branch, by short flights and jumps, till I get to the very top. Then I launch myself in the air, as a boy dives when he goes swimming, and you would laugh to see me flirting my tail, and dangling my legs, coming down into the thicket by odd jerks and motions. It really is so funny that I burst out laughing myself, saying, _chatter-chatter, chat-chat-chat-chat!_ I change my tune sometimes, and it sounds like _who who_, and _tea-boy_. You must be cautious though, if you want to see me go through my performance. Even when I am doing those funny things in the air I have an eye out for my enemies. Should I see you I would hide myself in the bushes and as long as you were in sight I would be angry and say _chut, chut!_ as cross as could be. Have I any other name? Yes, I am called the Yellow Mockingbird. But that name belongs to another. His picture was in the June number of BIRDS, so you know something about him. They say I imitate other birds as he does. But I do more than that. I can throw my voice in one place, while I am in another. It is a great trick, and I get lots of sport out of it.