104 CITIZEN lUBB 



the Doctor motioned to tliein to walk quietly, so that 

 Dodo's bird iiiiglit continue his song*. 



"What is it? What are you \vaitino- for?" whis- 

 pered Nat. '' A bird ? AVhere ? " 



The bird answered Nat's question itself, telling him 

 by its song in Avhat part of the tree it was perching. 

 '' Hea-r-me, llea-r-me/" it called; and then followed a 

 short song as if two musical instruments were playing 

 together. The bird seemed well pleased with his per- 

 formance, and perfectly unconscious of the grou}) of 

 House People who were listening to him : for he re- 

 peated the strain over and over again. 



'' It's almost as big as a Robin," said Dodo. 



'• ])ut its breast is speckled in big spots," said Nat. 

 ^^ 1 wish 1 could see the top of it. There, it has flown 

 to a lower branch, and its back is kind of rusty-browai. 

 What is its name. Uncle Roy? " 



'' Rap knows, I'm sure," said the Doctor. 



'' It's a Wood Thrush," said Rap. " People call them 

 Wood Robins, too, sometimes. 1 think that one, or his 

 brother, has a nest in the spruce back of your house." 



" Uoli-uoli, a-e-o-lee-lee ! " sang the Thrush ; and as 

 the children became accustomed to the song they noticed 

 that six or eight other Silver-tongues were singing the 

 same tune in different parts of the orchard and garden. 

 It sounded as if the evening breeze were stirring ^Eolian 

 harps. 



'' Why is he called the AVood Thrush ? " asked Rap. 

 '^ I've hardly ever seen him in the real Avoods — he loves 

 to be in gardens and orchards. The trees round the 

 millers house are full of them." 



*■' It is not easy to say why he was named so," said the 



