26 NATURE STUDY. 



though probabh' not from the wonderfully sharp eyes of 

 his companions. A moment later the Inrd returned from 

 a direction entirely different from that which I expected, 

 and as if nothing whatever had occurred, resumed his 

 feeding on the soft ground. A few days later the two 

 males had become the accepted mates of the two females, 

 and the two pairs separating, began to think about nest 

 sites. Sometime during the latter half of May the first 

 broods left the nests. 



THE OVENBIRD'S EOVE-SONG. 



When the woods and fields are most beautiful ; when all 

 the early trees are in full leaf and form a substantial back- 

 ground for the dizzy pinks of the oaks ; when dogwood is 

 in full blossom, and the snowy white trees give a touch of 

 life and gaity altogether wanting in the somber woods of 

 midsummer ; when the new^ fresh undergrowth is set off 

 with fiery Indian Pink and the exquisite lavender flowers 

 of wild phlox and geranium ; when the fields are covered 

 as with thin sheets of snow with houstonia, and everywhere 

 flourishes the composite squaw-weed ; — it is at this time of 

 the year — earlj^ May — that we go into the woods toward 

 sunset and listen for the love-song of the Ovenbird, and 

 keep an eye open for the inspired singer. 



To our left " teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher," 

 sounds the simple but not unpleasing crescendo. From 

 the right come the same gushing notes — the same to exact- 

 itude. Behind us is another. From the distance like a 

 rushing waterfall, flood the same notes. They are every- 

 where. The single song of a Redstart; the nasal " zee-u 

 zee-u, ksee-ksee, ksee-ksu " of a Blue-gra)' Gnatcatcher 

 relieve what might otherwise be a monotony. Suddenly a 

 great flood of indescribable melody is poured out from the 

 tree-tops, dashing downward suddenl)^ and all the while 

 pouring forth a song not unlike the L,ouisiana Water- 



