32 BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



a modified title, they deport themselves, build their 

 nests, and sing their "cheerily, cheerily, cheer up," 

 just as do their brothers and sisters of the land toward 

 the rising sun. If there is any difference, their songs 

 are not so loud and ringing, and their breasts not quite 

 so ruddy as are those of the eastern types. Perhaps the 

 incessant sunshine of Colorado bleaches out the tints 

 somewhat. 



But in my ante-breakfast stroll at Manitou I soon 

 stumbled upon feathered strangers. What was this 

 little square-shouldered bird that kept uttering a shrill 

 scream, which he seemed to mistake for a song ? It was 

 the western wood-pewee. Instead of piping the sweet, 

 pensive " Pe-e-e-o-we-e-e-e " of the woodland bird of the 

 Eastern States, this western swain persists in ringing 

 the changes hour by hour upon that piercing scream, 

 which sounds more like a cry of anguish than a song. 

 At Buena Vista, where these birds are superabundant, 

 their morning concerts were positively painful. One 

 thing must be said, however, in defence of the western 

 wood-pewee — he means well. 



Another acquaintance of my morning saunter was the 

 debonair Arkansas goldfinch, which has received its bun- 

 glesome name, not from the State of Arkansas, but from 

 the Arkansas River, dashing down from the mountains 

 and flowing eastwardly through the southern part of 

 Colorado. Most nattily this little bird wears his black 



