BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



does she appear. The nest is usually in a low 

 evergreen or unpruned apple tree. One won- 

 ders if the Purple Finches were named after 

 the eggs, which are spotted with a dull shade, 

 frequently purplish. 



One cold, bright May day we saw an Indigo 

 Finch, or Indigo Bunting, the bird with the 

 blue body and rusty black wings, perched 

 upon the top rail of the fence surveying the 

 thicket just inside the orchard which we had 

 left for the birds. For some time he remained 

 perched thus. The wildness of the spot and 

 the many sprouts and low bushes must have 

 looked good to him, for he flew over to it and 

 disappeared among the opening foliage. 

 Though we watched for him we did not see 

 him again and feared he had thought unfavor- 

 ably of our bird home. But a few weeks after 

 we saw grey and brown Mrs. Blue Finch 

 gathering small sticks and straws and flying 

 with them to the thicket. Perhaps he had 

 chosen a bush to nest in that day and gone in 

 search of his wife. In any case they went to 

 housekeeping there. Low bushes in sheltered 

 spots are favorite homes with them, as they 

 nest only one or two feet from the ground. 

 [83] 



