OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 139 



and even alights upon the ground, and from its 

 position makes the thickets resonant with song. 



Its song may be heard at irregular intervals, 

 from early morn until twilight has melted into 

 dusky night. It is so peculiarly its own, as never 

 to be forgotten when once heard. The following- 



o o 



syllables tswetswetswetswetswe pronounced 

 quickly, so that the final sound of each preceding 

 word crlides into the initial sound of each succeed- 



o 



ing one, the last syllable ending somewhat abruptly, 

 express its language quite accurately. It is sharply, 

 loudly, and distinctly enunciated, and increases 

 in intonation from the beginning to the end. 



Being uncommonly terrestrial it its habits, than 

 otherwise, its diet consists mainly of the seeds 

 and insects which it discovers underneath decom- 

 posing leaves, and aquatic insects which it procures 

 along the margins of streams. Its earliest diet 

 consists of CEdipoda sulphured, OL. nclmlosa, 

 Caloptemis femur-rubrnm, Achcta nigra % among 

 orthoptera ; Har pains pen syhani cits, II. com par, 

 Pangus caliginosns, Cratonychus cinercns, .Cicindela 

 imlgaris, Lachnosterna hirticnla, Plalynus cnpri- 

 penms, Rhynchcemts pini, among beetles, Formica 

 sanguinea and F. su6ferranea^among hymenoptera; 

 besides spiders and earthworms. Later, when 

 lepidoptera are abundant in their larval and 

 mature stages, an important addition is made to 

 its bill of fare. Anisopieryx vernata, Eufitchia 

 ribearia, and other geometers; CHsiocampa Ameri- 

 cana, immature specimens of Promeihca, Eacles 



