66 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



suffer, so the family ph5'sician was consulted and he pronounced the 

 disease incurable. Next, the old German bird fancier was appealed 

 to, but his verdict was: "I can do nodding for him. Dot bird will 

 haf to die." Then I bethought myself of that dear woman, Olive 

 Thorne Miller, and wrote her of his condition. Immediately there 

 came the kindest letter, telling what treatment to give him and con- 

 taining minute instructions "as to his diet. Her directions were fol- 

 lowed and Charlie was restored to perfect health. 



His intelligence was truly wonderful and nothing escaped his 

 notice. He was interested in everything that went on aliout him, 

 and if anything disturbed or displeased him he would lift his voice 

 in loud protest. 



He sang very sweetly, beginning in Januar}' and continuing 

 until July, but his notes were fullest and sweetest in the months of 

 February and March. Many persons have listened to his music 

 with sur]irise and pleasure. I am familiar witli the songs of nearly 

 all wild l)irds, but I could never detect in his any close resemblance 

 to any of them. It was a low, sweet and rather rapid warble, with 

 many rising and falling inflections and now and then a short trill. 

 Occasionally he would stop abru]>tly in the midst of one of his best 

 efforts and give three call notes and then resume his song. Always 

 his music had a wild and "woodsy" sound. vSometimes he would 

 dance about in ecstasy as he sang. 



His range of expression was very great, and he seemed almost 

 human in his manifestation of love, joy, indignation and disgu.st. 

 He had a number of call notes, some soft and sweet, others loud 

 and clear, one of them being especially beautiful. In the autumn 

 he always gave the loud, sharp Blue Jay screams that one hears in 

 the woods in that season. 



He was very regular in his habits and daintj' in all his ways, 

 always keeping himself "well groomed." He took his bath in a 

 large basin of water and would plunge into it again and again, often 

 making little chuckling sounds as he did so. 



It would be impossible to tell of all his cunning acts. If left 

 alone for any length of time he would greet the members of the fam- 



