A CHARMING ECCENTRICITY 9 



once or twice in their peculiar youthful 

 dress, the mothers of the flock in their usual 

 olive-green, and the singers in all shades of 

 red, from one mottled-all-over red and olive, 

 to the full-dressed and brilliant personage 

 of clear red with dark trimmings. 



The most charming exhibition of crossbill 

 eccentricities that I heard was a whisper- 

 song. The bird came alone to the old spruce 

 before my windows, and settled himself on a 

 dead branch in the middle of the tree, where 

 he was hidden from everybody except the 

 spectator behind the blind, of whom he had 

 no suspicion. In a moment he began a genu- 

 ine whisper-song so low that I could scarcely 

 hear it, near as I was and perfectly silent. 

 He poured forth the whole crossbill reper- 

 toire, all the various utterances I had heard 

 during the weeks I had been studying them, 

 and all under his breath, with beak nearly 

 closed. Thus softly rendered it was really 

 charming. This enchanting exhibition of 

 crossbill possibilities lasted fully fifteen min- 

 utes. 



A favorite walk that summer was down to 

 the shore, through a rustic road and a beauti- 



