236 CITIZEN BIRD 



" You were saying that he is wise," answered Rap. 



" Well, he is wise enough never to fly either straight 

 to or from his nest, which is a rather poor affair, down 

 on the ground, within reach of every weasel or snake 

 that cares to rob it. 



" He does not sing on the ground, but moves silently 

 among the leaves and litter of old ferns, such as are 

 found near ponds and streams. A stick will crackle 

 perhaps, and thus draw your attention to him. When 

 he knows that he is seen, he will flip his wings and flirt 

 his tail, like suddenly opening and shutting a fan, as 

 he flits on before you with his head on one side, giving 

 the pert call ' Towhee ! towhee ! ' that is one of his 

 names. Some people think he says ' Chewink ! che- 

 wink ! ' and call him by that name ; while some who 

 have noticed where he lives, and seen that the color of 

 his sides is like the reddish breast of the Robin, call 

 him the Ground Robin, though he is no relation of the 

 Thrush famil}'. 



'' Meanwhile his wife stays quietly on the nest, where 

 her brown back matches the dead leaves of which it is 

 made outside, keeping her quite safe from sight. 



"In the afternoon, when the work of the day is 

 almost over, and her mate is tired of scratching about 

 for food, he takes a little rest and goes up high in a tree 

 to boldly declare his whereabouts. 



'' ' Jore-e Blur-re, Jore-e Blur-re, Avilly-nilly, willy- 

 nilly ! ' he calls defiantly, as if he did not like having 

 to keep quiet all day, and meant to tell his name at 

 last. 



" In early autumn the Joree family grow sociable 

 enough to come into the garden, but they seldom 



