FOUR RED BIRDS. 119 



laid by the 22d, and hatched on June 3. When the 

 female was sitting the male bird did not remain very 

 near, and at all times moved in such a manner through 

 the trees as never to be conspicuous. I never once saw 

 him out in the open fields, and when occupied in insect- 

 hunting he remained closely to the tops of the taller 

 oaks, and seemed to move with reference to the foliage, 

 60 as to be shielded by it. The bird recalled a remark 

 of Wilson's about a red-headed woodpecker that nested 

 within the limits of the city of Philadelphia. This 

 woodpecker "took in the situation" carefully before 

 leaving the nest-tree, and made directly for the coun- 

 try, once upon the wing. 



When just four weeks old the young were able to 

 shift for themselves, although their flight-power was 

 not fully developed ; and at this time, as I have men- 

 tioned, both old and young left the neighborhood. 



During the stay of this pair of birds the male sang 

 a great deal, and, as it appeared to me, with much cun- 

 ning. It joined in with the general chorus far more 

 frequently than it sang alone, and never sought a con- 

 spicuous position when whistling its fife -like notes. 

 This marked shyness could scarcely have arisen from 

 the mere fact that it was conspicuously colored, for in the 

 same woods were numbers of tanagers and rose-breasted 

 grosbeaks, which certainly did not try to conceal their 

 colors as they passed from tree to tree. They were as 

 readily seen as catbirds, and did not hesitate to occupy 

 the most exposed positions. I am forced to be content 

 with the aggravating fact that the red-bird was inexpli- 

 cably shy. 



