The Bluebird 199 



If one carefully approached the tree and scratched 

 on the bark, the mother would give one low note and 

 every noisy baby bluebird would immediately become 

 quiet. Each repetition of the experiment called forth 

 the same low note. This is characteristic of other 

 birds as well. The ruffed grouse does it, and there is 

 every reason to believe that all birds have some sort of 

 a language of their own. 



The old birds of this family became very tame. On 

 the ninth day after the young were hatched the female 

 must have been killed, for she disappeared on that day 

 and was not seen again. This tragedy seemed to 

 discourage the male, and as the young were in danger 

 of starving, we took them into the house and brought 

 them up by hand. They became great pets, and after 

 they could fly about the yard they would come for their 

 food several times a day. They remained until August 

 fifteenth, and after that I was not sure that I saw them 

 again, for one bluebird looks very much like another. 



In late summer the song of the bluebird is changed to 

 a plaintive note that is as suggestive of coming winter 

 as the song is of returning spring. At this season of 

 the year, and especially in autumn, it is usual to see 

 small flocks of them along the roadsides and about the 

 orchards. At the approach of winter the greater 

 number of these bluebirds migrate to the southern part 



