Family Mniotiltidce Oven Bird 69 



her. He may be found in almost any deep wood, 

 but perhaps prefers pine groves. He is usually 

 found upon the ground, and may be readily recog- 

 nized from his habit of walking instead of hopping, 

 and jerking his tail up and down as he goes. 



The nest is placed upon the ground in the woods ; 

 and the top is often completely roofed over, whence 

 the name oven bird. Eggs are laid about the first 

 of June. 



The oven bird has two songs ; the first is a 

 common chant delivered from the ground or a low 

 bush, which resembles the words " teacher, teacher, 

 TEACHER, TEACHER, TEACHER, TEACHER ! " 

 each repetition being loudeV and more energetic 

 than the last. This song may be heard all day 

 long; but the other and far rarer one is poured 

 forth usually after sundown, and while quivering in 

 the air. Burroughs thus describes it : 



Mti&tnting by easy flights to the top of the tallest 

 tree, he launches into the air with a sort of suspended, ' 

 hovering flight, like certain of the finches, and bursts 

 into a perfect ecstasy of song clear, ringing, copi- 

 ous, and rivalling the goldfinch's in vivacity, and the 

 linnet's in melody. This strain is one of the rarest 

 bits of bird melody to be heard, and is oftenest in- 

 dulged in late in the afternoon or after sundown* I 

 think this pre-eminently his love-song, as / hear it 

 oftenest about the mating season. 



