284 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



but here they are shy and silent, not even greet- 

 ing me with a call note. The deep gloom of the 

 evergreens alone seems to inspire them to their 

 supreme effort! I see them feeding on the re- 

 mains of the apples left by the earlier foragers, 

 and last year's berries of the sumachs which 

 grow along the wall. 



Phoebe comes early and for a few days is very 

 busy with flycatching, evidently being extremely 

 hungry after his long flight. For several days 

 his gentle notes are much in evidence, but with 

 the arrival of his mate the devoted pair seek a 

 favorable nesting place in a barn cellar, or 

 under one of the bridges spanning the Nezinscot. 



Several Warblers make brief calls as they 

 pass along; Yellow Palm and Myrtle, Black and 

 White, and Blackpoll, Nashville and Yellow- 

 throat halt here to rest and feed. I have not 

 found the nests of any members of this cele- 

 brated family here, but as individuals of several 

 varieties appear at times all summer, I judge 

 they must be nesting in the near-by thickets. 



Chipping Sparrows take possession in late 

 April and for several months are the most nu- 

 merous birds. The task of collecting hair for the 

 nest linings must be a very easy one in the neigh- 

 boring pasture lands. Now and then I see them 

 fly catching, although, like all the members of 

 the family, they are known as seed eaters. 

 Sebec comes soon after, and his metallic notes 

 are pretty constant sounds all summer. Blue- 

 birds find a satisfactory home in hollow branch 

 or trunk and the mellow warble of this constant 

 lover makes a pleasing sound during all the 



