Indigo Bunting. 161 



and raspberry bushes of the gardens in town. The most 

 of the nests I have examined were placed among upright 

 stems, held in place by the loose outward pressure of the 

 light materials in the nest. In other cases the nest is 

 placed in an upright crotch, and it is commonly built be- 

 tween two and seven feet from the ground, the higher 

 sites being found in hedges and larger bushes. Most of 

 the nests are between two and five feet from the ground. 

 The indigo bird pays little attention to the construction 

 of an artistic home. Its nest is somewhat bulky for the 

 ideal of so small a builder, and is very similar to the work 

 of the cardinal in miniature, or a smaller edition of the 

 home of the dickcissel. It is made externally of dried 

 weed-stems and pieces of leaves, mingled with which are 

 bits of grayish vegetable down and gossamer. It is lined 

 with fine, bright dried grass. Like the nest of the chat, 

 which it likewise resembles except in its smaller size, it 

 has a foundation largely of coarse pieces of soft, dried 

 leaves. The cavity is about two and three-eighths inches 

 across at the top, and is about one inch and one-fourth 

 deep. The early complement of eggs usually consists of 

 four, but in July I frequently find nests containing only 

 three incubated eggs. They are white, with a faint bluish 

 tinge, generally unspotted, frequently with a few dots of 

 light brown. They average .75 by .55. As the breeding 

 season extends well into July and even early August, it is 

 probable that two broods are reared in this locality in 

 most instances. 



Many birds find little time and perhaps have little in- 

 clination to exercise their musical abilities after the nest- 

 ing period begins. The little indigo bird, however, seems 

 to find inspiration in his increasing household cares, and 

 as the prospects of his family grow brighter, his voice 

 rings out in added strength and persistency'. When the 

 nestlings appear, he joins hands with the mother bird in 

 bringing them food and in otherwise caring for them; 

 yet still he finds time, succeeding each of his short ex- 

 cursions after food, to stop in his favorite perch and sing a 

 few tuneful strains. At noontime, when the heat deters 

 the fond parents from active labors in behalf of the little 

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