158 THE GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE. 



The male bird appeared, once, upuii a bush some twenty feel away, 

 making no hostile demonstration but beaming rather a hearty contidence, as 

 wiio siiould say, "Well, I see you are getting along nicely at home; that's 

 right, enjoy yourselves, and I'll finish up this bit of hoeing before supper." 



The miither l)ird. meanwhile, was uttering mi complaint of the strange 

 presence, preferring instead to glean food industriously from under the carpet 

 of green leaves. Soon she returned, hopping up daintily. Standing upon 

 the elevated Ijrim of her nest she carefully surveyed her brood without 

 proffer of food, as tho merely to assure herself of their welfare. I 

 "snapped" and she retreated, not hastily, as tho frightened, but quietly as 

 matter of reasonable prudence. Again and again during the hour I had 

 her under fire, she returned to her brood. Each tiiue she retired before the 

 mild roar of the curtain shutter, ne\-er hastily or nervousl)', but deliberately 

 antl demurelv. Thrice she fed her briM.d. tluusting her beak, which bore 

 no external signs of food, deep down into the upturned gullets of the three 

 children. Thrice she attempted to brood her babes, and very handsome and 

 very mulherlv she looked, with fluffed feathers and mildly incpiisitive eye; 

 but the necessary movement fdllowing an exposure sent her away for a 

 season. 



When absent she neither moped nor scolded, but discreetly set about 

 scratching for food, always within a range of ten or fifteen feet of the nest. 

 At such times she would look up trustfully and unabashed. Upon the return 

 she never flew, and there was nothing to .advise the waiting camerist of her 

 approach, save the rustle of leaves as she came liop, hopping, until she stood 

 upon tlie familiar brim. 



The o])porlunities for picture-making were simply unlimited, save for 

 the weakness of the leaf-diluted light. Seldom have I been stirred to such 

 admiration as in the case of this gentle mother Schisfacca. So demure, so 

 e\'en-tempered, and so kindly a bird-person, with such a preserving air of 

 gentle breeding, I have not often seen. It was an hour to be long 

 remembered. 



No. 64. 



GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE. 



A. O. U. No. 592.1. Oreospiza chlorura (Aud.). 



Synonyms. — Green-t.mlEd Finch. I'iL.vndi.ng's Finch. 



Description. — .-Idiilts: Crown and occiput rich chestnut: forehead blackish 

 gray with whitish loral spot on each side ; remaining upperparts olive-gray tinged 

 more or less with bright olive-green ; wings and tail with brighter greenish 

 edgings : bend of wing, axillaries and under coverts yellow ; chin and throat 



