THRUSHES. 193 



ining the leaves with the care of a vireo, or clam- 

 bering down the side of an alder stalk to hunt at 

 its roots. Whr-r-ree' -chee-tee, whr-r-ree' -chee-tee, 

 whr-r-ree' -chee-tee, the cheery rich song comes vi- 

 brating through the air, to be echoed from the 

 far-off corners of the swamp. We sit down on 

 an old moss-covered log to eat our lunch, and in 

 answer to my call the sociable little warbler comes 

 nearer and nearer till at last he catches sight of 

 us. With what charming curiosity he peers down 

 at us ! What can be his thoughts of the strange 

 intruders as he takes a half circle to inspect us, 

 first from one point and then from another ! 



A little further along I come upon a father 

 bird who is even more friendly. He is feeding 

 his hungry little ones, and goes about in a most 

 business-like way hunting for food, but still takes 

 time for an occasional warble. He sees me, but, 

 after a casual survey, keeps on with his work 

 with the calmness of preoccupation, answering 

 my call in a nai* ve, off-hand manner that is very 

 gratifying. 



LXVIIL 



THRUSHES. 



AFTER spending a morning with a flock of 

 warblers, trying to fix your glass on the spot 

 overhead where the leaves stirred, striving to 

 catch the colors of the cap and wing bars of the 



