36 THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 



The nest is built in old brush piles, or, if these are not 

 convenient, in brambles. On the outside it is composed 

 of coarse roots, then follows a layer of leaves and the in- 

 side is lined with fine fibrous roots. The eggs are from 

 three to six in number, bluish or greenish white, finely 

 speckled with brown, one and one-fifth by four-fifths 

 inches in size. There are two broods a year. 



The birds breed from the Middle and Eastern States to 

 Florida and winter in the southern part of the United 

 States. They arrive in New Jersey towards the latter part 

 of April and leave shortly after the middle of October. 

 They are very seldom seen here in winter. 



The alarm note of the bird is wheeu and the song is of 

 the bravura style. Thoreau says that while the farmer 

 is planting his corn the Brown Thrasher sings, Drop it, 

 drop it, cover it up, cover it up, cover it up, pull it up, 

 pull it up, pull it up; another lover of birds likens it to 

 Look up, Look up, Glory to God, Glory to God, Glory to 

 God, Hallelujah, Amen, videlicet. 



Government analyses of 121 stomachs show that the 

 contents consisted of 63 per cent, insect and animal mat- 

 ter and 35 per cent, vegetable matter, the rest being sand. 

 Of the animal matter one-half was composed of beetles; 

 11 per cent, was matter from cultivated crops, of which 8 

 were fruit and the rest grain. The food of the bird 

 changes with the supply, being seven parts insects and 

 one part vegetable in May. 



Bull-bat. See Night Hawk. 

 Bunting, Bay winged. See Vesper Sparrow. 

 Bunting, Indigo. See Indigo Bird. 

 Bunting, Snow. See Snowflake. 

 Butcher Bird. See Northern Shrike. 



