334 OVEN-BIRD 



bird walks on the ground, quite in the manner of 

 a chicken. Mr. Burroughs dubs it ' by far the 

 prettiest pedestrian in the woods.' As it walks, 

 the Oven-bird bobs its head much like a Dove. 

 Although the word ' teacher ' is a very good re- 

 presentation of one of the commonest forms of 

 its song, there is often only one syllable instead 

 of two — 'teach' instead of 'tea5h-er.' The song 

 seems to come from under your very feet, but you 

 may watch for a long time without getting sight of 

 the singer. When you do he will probably be on 

 a branch, down which he walks primly. On stop- 

 ping, he throws up his head and sings. Look well 

 at his crown as he throws it back, for if the light 

 is right you can get a glint of the golden V set 

 iu between two dark bands, the decoration which 

 gives him the name of Golden-crowned Thrush. 



When he flies to the ground, you will very 

 likely lose sight of him again and have a good 

 opj)ortunity to meditate upon the perfection of his 

 protective coloration and gradation of tint. The 

 thin smack which is his call note seems quite out 

 of character, but once heard will be easily recog- 

 nized. Though 3^ou think you know the Golden- 

 crown, you have not realized what manner of bird 

 he is until you have beard his famous love-song. 

 It is as if a musician who had been playing scales 

 had suddenly changed to an impassioned rhapsody. 

 His ecstacy carries him off his feet and he flies 

 higher and higher into the air, pouring out his 



