530 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



the summer yellowbird or summer warbler, which 

 builds its dainty little nest in the fork of a sapling 

 and when a vagrant cow-bird deposits its egg in 

 the nest expecting the warblers to act as foster 

 parents, the egg of the interloper is deftly cov- 

 ered up and another nest built on top of the egg 

 as already described. The song of this warbler 

 is very difficult for one to distinguish from the red- 

 start; but by the same process of counting and 

 experiment I found that the yellowbird's cry was 

 for wheat, this is what he said: 



"WHEAT, WHEAT, T'WHEAT, WHEAT, WHEAT, 

 WHEAT, WHEAT!" 



A catbird in quaker guise listened with its head 

 to one side and remarked : "Ticka tea-o, whay oh ! 

 wheet," then it imitated with wonderful skill the 

 flute-like notes of the wood-thrush. 



After this exhibition of mimicry it seemed to say, 

 "these songs are all very well for you poor birds 

 with a limited vocabulary, but I'll show you how to 

 sing," and with that it gave an exhibition of its 

 vocal powers which were second only to those of 

 the brown thrasher. 



A gray squirrel scrambled up a chestnut tree and 

 yellow-hammer scolded him from the shattered end 

 of a broken branch, where a neatly excavated hole 

 was plainly discernible in the rotten wood. 



Reluctantly forsaking this charming bit of wood, 

 my path led me by some small dwellings packed 

 closely together, but even here the catbirds, robins, 



