120 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 
Not the least of our most brilliant every-day 
songsters is the indigo-bird. Only in a poor light 
is he as dull as common indigo. In the sunlight 
his coat is an intense, exquisite blue, the shade of 
which varies as he moves, and is described by 
Thoreau as “ glowing indigo.” Mrs. Indigo has 
a pretty tinge of blue on her shoulders and tail 
feathers, but if the ight is not right to bring this 
out, the peculiarly warm brown, which is almost 
burnt sienna, is enough to distinguish her from 
the ordinary brown birds that are like her in size 
and build. Her habit of jerking her tail from 
side to side is also diagnostic. 
The indigo-bird is one of our most energetic, 
tireless songsters. He is usually seen on the top 
of a bush or a tree not more than twenty or thirty 
feet high ; often in the edge of the woods, or in a 
clump of bushes beside the road, and sometimes ~ 
in the garden, where his breezy, sunny song shows 
that he is making the most of all the light and 
air that are to be had. Blithe and merry in the 
sunshine, he sings as loudly through the noonday 
heat as in the cooler hours. 
His roundelay has been syllabified in various 
ways, but the rhythm and tone may be suggested 
by che-ree! che-ree' che-ree' che-ree! che-rah' rah- 
rup’. The last half varies greatly, sometimes 
bemg che-rah' rah-ah-rup, or che-rah! che-rip! 
cherup'. Very often the song ends with an inde- 
seribable, rapid flourish of confused notes. 
