Towhee 129 



about the head — ^bluer than the siimmer sky 

 which pales where his Httle figure is outHned 

 against it. 



Mounting by erratic, short flights from the 

 weedy places and bushy tangles he hunts among 

 to the branches of a convenient tree, singing as 

 he goes higher and higher, he remains for a time 

 on a conspicuous perch and rapidly and repeat- 

 edly sings. When almost every other bird is 

 moulting and moping, he warbles with the same 

 fervour and timbre. Possibly because he has the 

 concert stage almost to himself in August, he 

 gets the credit of being a better performer than 

 he really is. Only the pewee and the red-eyed 

 vireo, whom neither midday nor midsummer 

 heat can silence, share the stage with him then. 



TOWHEE 



Called also: Chewink; Ground Robin; Joree 



From their hunting-ground in the blackberry 

 tangle and bushes that border a neighbouring 

 wood, a family of chewinks sally forth boldly 

 to my piazza floor to pick up seed from the 

 canary's cage, hemp, cracked com, sunflower 

 seed, split pease, and wheat scattered about for 

 their especial benefit. One fellow grew bold 

 enough to peck open a paper bag. It is a daily 

 happening to see at least one of the family close 



