420 American Som Birds* 



to 



the meanest of the American songsters, and his plumage 

 renders him a striking ornament to the woodland scenery. 



The note of the Summer Red Bird (Tanagra sestiva) is a 

 strong sonorous whistle, resembling a loose trill, or shake, on 

 the notes of a fife, frequently repeated. That of the female 

 is rather a kind of chattering, like a rapid enunciation of 

 chickey-tucliey-tuck. 



The Shore Lark (^lauda alpestris, or A. cornilta) has a 

 single chirp, exactly like the European skylark ; and it is 

 reported that, in the country where it breeds, it sings well 

 while mounting in the air. 



The Maryland Yellow Throat (Sylvia marylandica) has a 

 twitter not disagreeable, somewhat like whitititee, thrice re- 

 peated ; after which it pauses for half a minute, and begins 

 again the same ditty. 



The Red-eyed Flycatcher (Sylvia olivacea) has a loud, 

 lively, and energetic song, which is continued sometimes for 

 an hour without intermission. The notes are, in short, em- 

 phatic bars of two, three, or four syllables. On listening to 

 this bird, in his full ardour of song, it requires but little ima- 

 gination to fancy you hear the words " Tom Kelly ! whip ! 

 Tom Kelly ! " very distincdy ; and hence Tom Kelly is the 

 name given to the bird in the West Indies. 



The White-eyed Flycatcher (Muscicapa cantatrix) is a 

 lively, active, sociable, little bird, possessing a strong voice 

 for its size, and a great variety of notes, singing with much 

 vivacity from April to September. 



The Crested Titmouse (Parus bicolor) possesses a remark- 

 able variety in the tones of its voice, at one time not louder 

 than the squeaking of a mouse, and in a moment after whistling 

 aloud and clearly, as if calhng a dog, and continuing this dog- 

 call through the woods for half an hour at a time. 



The Red-breasted Blue Bird (Sylvia sialis) has a soft, 

 agreeable, and often repeated warble, uttered with opening 

 and quivering wings. In his courtship he uses the tenderest 

 expressions, and caresses his mate by sitting close by her, and 

 singing his most endearing warblings. If a rival appears, he 

 attacks him with fury, and, having driven him away, returns 

 to pour out a song of triumph. In autumn his song changes 

 to a simple plaintive note, which is heard in open weather all 

 winter, though in severe weather the bird is never to be seen. 



The Marsh Wren (Certhia palustris) can scarcely be said 

 to sing ; but, when standing on the reedy banks of the Dela- 

 ware or Schuylkill in June, you may hear a low crackling 

 sound, as of air bubbles forcing their way through mud or 



