THE TOWHEES. 161 



specially good place from which to study the 

 birds. One day last summer we heard a scratch- 

 ing in the leaves near-by, and knew by the vigor- 

 ous sound that it came from a spurred towhee. 

 We had not seen the bird in our grounds before. 

 So we watched, keeping perfectly still. The sound 

 drew nearer, arid then right beneath us appeared 

 this towhee, the very bird we expected. 



Now, birds have a way of looking a strange ob- 

 ject in the face without blinking, as if they would 

 make sure of its nature! Spurred towhee stared 

 at us as if determined to look us out of counte- 

 nance, if we were living beings. But, seeing we 

 did not stir, it took our hammock and its contents 

 for a fallen tree, and remained near. It flew into 

 the boughs of the fig tree, within a few inches of 

 us, so that we had our best opportunity to admire 

 this beautiful bird. There is such a charm in 

 being near a live bird when it is all animation! 

 Its form suggests alertness and shy grace. And 

 its eye! O, you should seek the haunts of wild 

 birds, and make yourself a tree or rock for just 

 long enough to comprehend the beauty of a bird's 

 eye! 



The brown towhee, or brown robin, as you 

 sometimes call it, lives in our grounds the whole 

 year. It is also found in the foothills and low 



r.S. E. VOL. 9 11 



