himself to threatening movements, which did not exactly hit. He saw
evidently that he could not swallow him whole, and what might ensue from
trying him piecemeal he wisely forbore to essay.

Hum had his own favorite places and perches. From the first day he chose
for his nightly roost a towel-line which had been drawn across the
corner over the wash-stand, where he every night established himself
with one claw in the edge of the towel and the other clasping the line,
and, ruffling up his feathers till he looked like a little chestnut-bur,
he would resign himself to the soundest sleep. He did not tuck his head
under his wing, but seemed to sink it down between his shoulders, with
his bill almost straight up in the air. One evening one of us, going to
use the towel, jarred the line, and soon after found that Hum had been
thrown from his perch, and was hanging head downward fast asleep, still
clinging to the line. Another evening, being discomposed by somebody
coming to the towel-line after he had settled himself, he fluttered off;
but so sleepy that he had not discretion to poise himself again, and was
found clinging, like a little bunch of green floss silk, to the mosquito
netting of the window.

A day after this we brought in a large green bough, and put it up over
the looking-glass. Hum noticed it before it had been there five minutes,
flew to it, and began a regular survey, perching now here, now there,
till he seemed to find a twig that exactly suited him; and after that he
roosted there every night. Who does not see in this change all the signs
of reflection and reason that are shown by us in thinking over our
circumstances, and trying to better them? It seemed to say in so many
words: "That towel-line is an unsafe place for a bird; I get frightened,
and wake from bad dreams to find myself head downward; so I will find a
better roost on this twig."

When our little Jenny one day put on a clean white muslin gown
embellished with red sprigs, Hum flew towards her, and with his bill
made instant examination of these new appearances; and one day, being
very affectionately disposed, perched himself on her shoulder, and sat
some time. On another occasion, while Mr. A---- was reading, Hum
established himself on the top of his head just over the middle of his
forehead, in the precise place where our young belles have lately worn
stuffed humming-birds, making him look as if dressed out for a party.
Hum's most favorite perc