104 CITIZEN BIRD 



the Doctor motioned to them to walk quietly, so that 

 Dodo's bird might continue his song. 



" What is it ? What are you waiting for ? " whis- 

 pered Nat. " A bird ? Where ? " 



The bird answered Nat's question itself, telling him 

 by its song in what part of the tree it was perching. 

 " Hea-r-me, Hea-r-me," it called ; and then followed a 

 short song as if two musical instruments were plapng 

 together. The bird seemed well pleased with his per- 

 formance, and perfectly unconscious of the group of 

 House People who were listening to him ; for he re- 

 peated the strain over and over again. 



" It's almost as big as a Robin," said Dodo. 



" But its breast is speckled in big spots," said Nat. 

 '•'- 1 wish I could see the top of it. There, it has flown 

 to a lower branch, and its back is kind of rusty-brown. 

 What is its name. Uncle Ro}^? " 



" Rap knows, I'm sure," said the Doctor. 



" It's a Wood Thrush,'* said Rap. '^ People call them 

 Wood Robins, too, sometimes. I think that one, or his 

 brother, has a nest in tlie spruce back of your house." 



" Uoli-uoli, a-e-o-lee-lee ! " sang the Tlirush ; and as 

 the cliildren became accustomed to tlie song they noticed 

 that six or eight other Silver-tongues Avere singing the 

 same tune in different parts of the orchard and garden. 

 It sounded as if the evening breeze were stirring ^olian 

 liarps. 



'^ Why is he called the Wood Tlirush?" asked Rap. 

 '' I've hardly ever seen him in the real woods — he loves 

 to be in gardens and orchards. The trees round the 

 miller's house are full of them." 



" It is not easy to say why he was named so," said the 



