Family Mniotiltidce- -Oven Bird 69 



her. He may be found in almost any deep wood, 

 but perhaps prefers pine groves. He is usually 

 found upon the ground, and may be readily recog- 

 nized from his habit of walking instead of hopping, 

 and jerking his tail up and down as he goes. 



The nest is placed upon the ground in the woods; 

 and the top is often completely roofed over, whence 

 the name oven bird. Eggs are laid about the first 

 of June. 



The oven bird has two songs ; the first is a 

 common chant delivered from the ground or a low 

 bush, which resembles the words "teacher, teacher, 

 TEACHER, TEACHER, TEACHER. TEACHER ! " 

 each repetition being louder and more energetic 

 than the last. This song may be heard all day 

 long ; but the other and far rarer one is poured 

 forth usually after sundown, and while quivering in 

 the air. Burroughs thus describes it : - 



Mounting by easy flights to the top of the tallest 

 tree, he launches into the air with a sort of suspended, 

 hovering flight, like certain of the finches, and bursts 

 into a perfect ecstasv of song clear, ringing, copi- 

 ous, and rivalling the goldfinch' 's in vivacity, and the 

 linnet' ' s in melody. This strain is one of the rarest 

 bits of bird melody to be heard, and is oftenest in- 

 dulged in late in the afternoon or after sundown. I 

 think this pre-eminently his love-song, as_ I hear it 

 oftenest about the mating season. 



