BIRDS OF KANSAS. 609 



Iris hazel; bill upper bluish black, under pale or dull whit- 

 ish; legs flesh color; feet light brown; claws brown. 



These birds are quite common throughout their range. They 

 are occasionally found in the groves and shrubbery around our 

 prairie homes, and throughout the woodlands, but their favorite 

 resorts are within the deep woods bordering the streams, upon 

 the bottom lands, where the undergrowth is thick, or about old 

 logs, fallen trees and brush heaps. Active, wild, timid birds, 

 ever upon the lookout, and ready at the first alarm to dive into 

 a hiding place, but too restless to remain concealed; scarcely 

 ever at rest, hopping about the low branches, creeping over the 

 limbs, the sides of slightly leaning trees, decaying logs, and into 

 every hollow, nook or cavity, in search of the insect life upon 

 which they feed; uttering at short intervals a sort of self-satisfied 

 twitter, their usual call note, "Chirr-chirr," at times in a loud 

 scolding manner. 



The males begin to sing early in February, and are occasion- 

 ally heard in autumn. The woods ring with their loud and often 

 prolonged whistling, musical, "Willu-way! willu-way! willu- 

 way!" They have other odd and varied notes, all uttered in 

 an expressive, energetic manner. Mr. Nuttall and several other 

 writers say that these birds mimic others; they may do so, but 

 I have known them for years, and never heard them utter any 

 sounds outside of their own varied notes. 



Their flights are short, direct, and near the ground, and are 

 sustained by rapid fluttering of their short, rounded wings. The 

 parents are very attentive to their young, guarding and rearing 

 them with the greatest care. 



Their nests are placed in cavities in old logs, rocks and out- 

 buildings. They are loosely constructed of bits of twigs, grasses, 

 leaves, etc., and lined with hair and a few feathers. They are 

 quite bulky, usually filling the space, but, when it is too high to 

 fill, partially roof the nest over, entering a hole left at the side. 

 Eggs three to seven (usually four to five), .75x.58; white to 

 pale, creamy, pinkish white, spotted rather evenly over the sur- 

 face with reddish brown and lilac, but sometimes thickest and 

 forming confluent band around larger end; in form, rounded oval. 



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