SOXa BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 219 



among the dry leaves on the ground. Like many other 

 Sparrows, it scratches with both feet at once, jumping into 

 the air and digging away the leaves with a quick motion of 

 the feet, then brings its feet deftly under its body and lands 

 on them. When disturbed it darts into a bush, with a whir 



Fig. 80. — Towhee, male, about one-half natural size. 



of wings, a flash of black, white, and chestnut, a quick flirt 

 of its long tail, and, with crest slightly erected, sends back its 

 call toivhee', or the more nasal cheewinlt' , or kniuk'. Its sono- 

 as commonly sung may be rendered dick' you, Jiddle-iddle, 

 uldle, iddle, iddle. The first two notes are sometimes com- 

 bined in a de'ah, but whether dick or the deacon is addressed, 

 he is adjured to fiddle. The last notes run into a trill. 



The Chewink rarely goes into the tree tops, though it 

 often perches on the top of some small sapling while singing. 

 Its food is obtained mainly from the ground, the shrubbery, 

 and as high up the tree trunks as it can reach or jump. 

 While scratching and digging among the leaves in early 

 spring it unearths many dormant insects, and disposes of 

 them ere they have an opi^rtunity to propagate their kind. 



