262 KNOWING BIRDS THROUGH STORIES 



His nest is made by scratching a hole in the ground 

 just large enough so that when the leaves and grass which 

 constitute the nest are fitted in place, it will be level with 

 the surface of the ground. It is usually placed under a 

 bush or in a thick tuft of grass. Shreds of bark and dry 

 leaves are piled in iirst and then lined with dry grass, but 

 the leaves and bits of bark are left in sight and others 

 are strewn about until it is almost impossible to discover 

 the nest. This usually contains four or five dingy white 

 eggs, finely speckled with reddish lilac. The female bird's 

 brown and white markings mingle closely with 

 the color of the dead grass and dry leaves so as effectively 

 to conceal the bird when sitting. Mr. Towhee is exceed- 

 ingly nervous, and is continually spreading his wings and 

 opening his long fan-like tail with a jerky motion which 

 is very noticeable because of the white spots it reveals. I 

 have followed these birds up and down the creek and 

 watched their maneuvers for hours at a time. It is sur- 

 prizing how many insects and grubs they eat. They eat 

 something two or three times every minute that they are 

 hunting, and they seem to hunt more than half of the time. 



As a songster the towhee is a shining success. Few birds 

 have more musical notes, when he wishes to sing. However, 

 the note most common is the rasping sort of ^^-R-R-INK'^ 

 mentioned above. His real song is usually given from the 

 thick leafy branches of some tree, and is more often 

 heard in the early morning or late evening. 



