CHAPTER V 



Indigo Bluebird: Passerina Cyanea 

 IN SHRUBS 



THE Indigo birds 

 came to the Cabin to 

 nest. While working in 

 the garden one spring the 

 Deacon and I were at- 

 tracted by the fluttering 

 and calling from a bird- 

 house containing nineteen 

 yellow Canaries and green 

 Linnets, in the conserva- 

 tory. On the outside sill, 

 beating against the glass 

 in a vain attempt to enter, 

 was a male Indigo bird. 



Evidently the flowers and shrubs seemed fine to him for he 

 wanted to join the other birds chattering among them. After 

 trying for nearly an hour he returned to his mate who had been 

 watching him while prospecting among a row of roses and shrubs 

 screening an alley wall. On the wall they talked it over. They 

 approved of that row of greenery quite as much as we did, for the 

 same forenoon they began building among the scraggy branches 

 of a bush honeysuckle. 



The bush stood where I had full view of it from the back door 

 and steps, also from the conservatory, so that I had fine oppor- 

 tunity to observe their nest making. The male did not sing to 



73 



NEST OF INDIGO FINCH 



