SINGING AS HE WALKED 35 



" All birds have some traits," says a life- 

 long bird-student, " that it is impossible to 

 understand." 



A friend, a daughter of Maine, who has 

 watched the birds of her state for several 

 years, had an interesting experience with a 

 pair of oven-birds, which she gives me per- 

 mission to tell. 



She was walking in the woods when her 

 eyes always looking for birds fell upon 

 an oven-bird on the ground before her. He 

 was walking jauntily along as if he had no- 

 thing particular on his mind, and wonder- 

 ful to say singing as he went. It was 

 not the ordinary " teacher ! teacher ! " but a 

 sweet, low song like his charming flight-song, 

 evidently a love strain. On he walked 

 in his dainty way, and on followed his en- 

 raptured listener. She had no doubt he was 

 leading her away from his nest, but so long 

 as he sang she did not care what was left 

 behind. Nothing could be more bewitching 

 than the song and his manner, sometimes 

 half concealed by a patch of leaves, again 

 coming out into the sunshine, showing his 

 golden crown. 



