58 THE QUEST OF A THRUSH 



and at last to the ground, where he busied 

 himself among the dead leaves. 



I continued to sit without moving, and 

 presently another of the family came about, 

 with manners somewhat different. He stood 

 on one of the broken branches, in plain 

 sight, and treated me to a curious exhibition. 

 Beginning with the usual " quit," very loud 

 and on a high key, he repeated it many times, 

 each repetition being lower in pitch and 

 softer, till it became the merest murmur, al- 

 most inaudible at my short distance, with 

 eyes fixed on me all the time. Strangely 

 enough, as he proceeded, one after another 

 of the birds around us warblers, juncoes, 

 and others was hushed, till not a sound 

 was heard excepting the rain on the leaves 

 overhead. Then, having reduced his small 

 world to absolute silence, he broke into a 

 queer medley, whether song or scold, or a 

 mixture of both, I could only guess. First 

 came the common call uttered in the custom- 

 ary tone, then this call with added squawk, 

 then the startling shriek on a high key, and 

 after that a combination of all with some 

 scraps of song. It was a confused jumble of 



