The Bluebird 103 



preying upon the crops. It has been demonstrated that sev- 

 enty-six per cent, of its food consists of insects and their allies, 

 and most of these are more or less harmful. So far as its 

 vegetable food is concerned, the bluebird is positively harm- 

 less. As a songster, he does not equal his cousin, the robin. 

 "His notes are few and not greatly varied, though sweetly 

 and plaintively modulated and never loud. He does not 

 bluster. In the springtime his is an oft repeated strain, "tru-al- 

 ly, tru-al-ly, tru-al-ly.' " 



"Listen awhile and you'll hear what he's saying, 

 Up in the apple tree swing and swaying, 

 Dear little blossoms down under the snow, 

 You must be weary of winter, I know; 

 Hark while I sing you a message of cheer, 

 Summer is coming and springtime is here!" 



In the autumn they gather in flocks and seem reluctantly 

 to be making ready for their southern journey. Even 

 after the leaves have fallen and into October and November 

 he' "still lingers and looks for a milder to-morrow till, forced 

 by the horrors of winter to roam, he sings his adieu in a love 

 note of sorrow," which as Mr. Chapman says, seems to be 

 "far-away, far-away." Then with Edmund Clarence Stedman, 

 we inquire, 



"Whither away, bluebird, 



Whither away? 



The blast is chill, yet in the upper sky 

 Thou still canst find the color of thy wing, 



The hue of May. 



Warbler, why speed thy southern flight? ah, why, 

 Thou, too, whose song first told us of the spring? 



Whither away?" 



