88 BIRD-SONGS ABOUT WORCESTER. 



and the purveyor of birds' feathers for hat 

 decorations be classed in this category? 



To revert, however, from this digres- 

 sion to summer bird-songs, the most 

 characteristic and typical summer songster 

 is the indigo-bird. This beautiful little 

 bird, whose deep blue plumage is much 

 darker than that of the bluebird, comes so 

 late in the season that it is only right that 

 he should continue to sing for us through 

 the summer. 



He sings all through the livelong sum- 

 mer day, and his song, consisting of a 

 lisping rendition of the syllable tehee, 

 tehee, tehee-tehee, tehee, tehee-tehee, tehee, 

 tehee, is as much of a midsummer sound 

 as the chirping of a cricket. I heard him 

 yesterday singing loud and clear at the 

 end of the woods, just north of Sunnyside, 

 his being the only bird-song within hear- 

 ing. I am also pretty sure to hear him 

 in the fields west of Adams Square. I 

 will quote in conclusion the following ex- 

 tract from Thoreau's journal : " June 9, 

 1857, P. M. To Violet, Sorrel, and Calla 



