AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 127 



1 think Mr. and Madam Robin were the first arrivals. (Bright cheery 

 fellows. 1 was glad they were invited.) I heard their soft chirpings, 

 which soon swelled into a chorus of good cheer as they were joined by 

 "their sisters, their cousins, and their aunts." 



Then the greetings of the Brown Thrasher were heard, A long tale he 

 had and it was sweetly told. The Vireos were there in full force, very 

 dapper and slick; the Red-eye, the White-eye, the Warbling, and the 

 Yellow-throated. They found some flexible branches, which made delight- 

 ful swings, on which they swayed to and fro, pouring forth thrills of music, 

 stopping occasionally for a lunch on a fine fat worm, then hidmg behind a 

 leafy screen and calling, "Here I am. Here I am. Here, see me, here, 

 here." The Bluebirds came, too, with loving words singing of "Bermuda, 

 Bermuda." The Chewinks kepf urging "Drink your tea. Drink your 

 tea," and "Sweet birds sing. Sweet birds sing." 



The Goldfinches, arrayed in new gowns of yellow satin and black, cried 

 "Hear me, dearie. Hear me, dearie." Then curved through the air with 

 sweet songs. Hilarious Bob. O. Link and Mrs. Link were there and helped 

 to keep the company in good humor. Our old friend Phoebe was present, 

 too, with her Quaker cousins, kingbird, pewee, and chebec. Mr. Chebec 

 talked incessantly so that he grew rather tiresome. The Flicker and Hairy 

 Woodpecker found drums and beat vigorous tatoos when not engaged in 

 the study of Entomology. The Maryland Yellow-throat, looking through 

 his black spectacles, seemed to marvel at the wondrous transformation 

 which had been wrought in a few short weeks, and could only exclaim, 

 "Witchery. Witchery." Little Jenny Wren sputtered and scolded all 

 day long, but no one minded her. But even at a bird's carnival, discipline 

 must be maintained, for at nightfall we heard a sad voice reiterating, 

 "Whip-poor-Will. Whip-poor-Will." What poor Will's misdemeanor 

 was I knew not, but later in the season we may learn that Will was not 

 the real culprit after all, but that "Katy-did" it. 



Time permits of but a brief description of some of the costumes worn on 

 this occasion. The gentlemen of the party wore the brilliant colors. 

 Bright yellow and orange seemed very fashionable, and were prominent in 

 the garbs of the Goldfinch, Summer Yellow-bird, Black-throated Green 

 Warbler, Golden-winged, Prairie, and Blackburnian Warblers, Chat, 

 Flicker, and Yellow-throated Vireo, while the Tanager seemed to come 

 direct from the golf links in his flaming scarlet. 



The Crows, Crackles, and Red-wing Blackbirds came in suits of glossy 

 black. The Indigo Bunting looked charming in a beautiful suit of dark 

 blue. The Chewinks each had a fresh white vest, chestnut waist-coats 

 and black and while coats. Mr. and Mrs. Catbird's suits of slate fitted 

 perfectly, without wrinkle or crease, and the Orioles were dazzling in 



