OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 337 



Its song consists of a few short syllables repeated 

 loudly and rapidly at first, but gradually diminish- 

 ing in pitch, until it becomes almost indistinct, and 

 finally ceasing altogether. It resembles tshe-tshc- 



J O O 



Yv~h.cn the male is ready for a song, it 

 perch; s upon the summit of a small tree, and 



utters his notes with considerable vim. for hours 



f 



at a time, with but brief intervals of repose. In 



the heat of the dav, wh? -n the most of his feathered 



*> 



brethren are silent and have sought the cool and 



o 



refreshing shade ; he still iterates his musical ditty 

 \vitli nearly the same >r and vigor as in the 

 cool of the morning trough the entire months 



>_> o 



of May and June, he continues to sing -with all the 

 power that characterized him at first, relaxing this 

 power, however, during the ensuing months, when 

 he is heard at irregular intervals, and before his 



vJ> ' 



departure becoming almost silent. Even during 

 the breeding-period he essays an occasional ditty 

 to r- the ennui of his mate while engaged in 

 in- .ion. The song of the Indigo Bird resembles 

 . , -, . \-tse-we-tsich-tslch-tse-we-tsich) pro- 



cd very hurriedly and with a rather indistinct 

 articulation. 



In about si>; days alter their arrival, mating 

 commences. This accomplished, a suitable local- 

 it)' is selected for building purposes. A nest is the 

 joint and mutual labor of the sexes. A brier-bush 

 in the midst of a thick cluster, is ordinarily chosen. 

 Very seldom is an isolated bush selected. The 

 centre of a patch is available for the obvious 



v 



