BLUEBIRDS. 49 



hundred thousand to a pair in four months). So soon as the 

 young of the first brood are old enough to leave the nest, the 

 female soon begins again to lay, while the male takes charge 

 of the young, teaching them how to catch their prey. He may 

 often be seen to perch in some open spot, and, flying into the 

 air (much in the manner of Flycatchers), to seize some passing 

 insect, or, pausing with rapidly quivering wings, to snap up 

 some grasshopper or beetle from the grass, immediately return- 

 ing to his perch. Though the Bluebirds have been known to 

 take long flights, when traveling, yet they rarely fly far at 

 other times, and though when journeying they move through 

 the air at a considerable height, at other times they usually 

 remain rather near the ground, but they never, as a rule, 

 stand on it, except occasionally when collecting bits of straw 

 or the like, with which to build their nests. In autumn they 

 gather in small flocks, and in October generally depart from 

 this State, though a few linger until November. 



d. The only song of the Bluebirds is a repetition of a 

 " sadly pleasing " but cheerful warble of two or three notes, 

 tinged (so to speak) by a mournful tone. This they often 

 give utterance to when on the wing, as well as when perched. 

 In autumn, and when with their young, their usual note is a 

 single sad whistle, but they occasionally use a peculiar chatter 

 as a call-note to their young, whose notes differ from those of 

 their parents. 



I shall here close my account of these birds, deservedly 

 popular as forerunners of spring, companions of man, and 

 cheerful, beneficial laborers, by quoting a few lines from one 

 of Alexander Wilson's poems. 



[In Autumn] 

 " The bluebird, forsaken, yet true to his home, 

 Still lingers, and looks for a milder to-morrow, 

 Till, fore'd by the horrors of winter to roam, 

 He sings his adieu in a lone note of sorrow. 



" While spring's lovely season, serene, dewy, warm, 



The green face of earth, and the pure blue of heav'n, 

 Or love's native music have influence to charm, 

 Or sympathy's glow to our feelings is ^^ giv'n, 



28 In the original "are," evidently through inadyertenee. 



