The Indigo Bunting 227 



nest in from ten to twelve days. In other words, nidification 

 lasts about one month. During this time the male may be 

 found in the immediate neighborhood of the nest singing to his 

 mate and that is all he does. Some men do less. 



The indigo bunting is one of our most delightful and per- 

 sistent singers. He is in song when he comes to us in April, 



and, 



"At noon on many August days 

 Its strain its solace yields." 



In her Tangled Stars, Ethelwin Whetherald tells us most 

 beautifully of his song and how he sings it. 



"When I hear 



A song like a bird laugh, blithe and clear 

 As though of some airy jest he had heard 

 The last and most delightful word, 

 A laugh as fresh in August haze 

 As it was in the full-voiced April days, 

 Then I know that my heart is stirred 

 By the laugh-like song of the indigo bird. 

 Joy in the branch and joy in the sky, 

 And naught between but the breezes high; 

 And naught so glad on the breezes heard 

 As the gay note of the indigo bird." 



A favorite place for the one at Somerleaze to sing is from 

 the very topmost twig of a great Seckle pear tree which stands 

 upon the edge of the front lawn, and where I can see him with 

 my glass from the veranda. "Oh so sweet, swee, swee, swee 

 swee, sweet," is his song, and from a hickory tree which stands 

 in the meadow to the east comes back in response, "swee, swee, 

 swee, swee, sweet." 



The great abundance of these birds is readily determined 

 by their singing. When one of them concludes to sing, and 

 this is frequently, he is apt to commence on the lower branch 

 of some tree or on a fence stake, and as he sings, gradually 

 ascend until he has reached the topmost twig of a tree, and it 

 is then that he seems to put all of his energy into his song. 

 The higher the better it is for the bird that sings. It was just 

 such a song that inspired Mr. Burroughs to write : 



