£be WarDier 63 



The season 01 song of the Red-eyed Vireo is probably longer than that of 

 any other North American bird, except the Song Sparrow. I have heard 

 the song as late as the 20th of September, or about the time the birds be- 

 o-in to migrate South. 



The Kingbird 



{Tyrannus tyrannus) 



I^HE Kingbird is not a common bird in the suburbs of New York, but 

 one that makes his presence so thoroughly known that he appears in 

 most localities to be abundant. Let a Crow or Hawk fly over during the 

 nestino- season of the Kingbird and one is sure to see and hear all there are 

 in the immediate neighborhood. The Kingbird delights to locate near a 

 farm house and build its nest in an apple or pear tree, and a pair thus locat- 

 ed is the greatest* protection to the poultry yard against the depredations of 

 Hawks and Crows that can possibly be had. All wild birds nesting in the 

 vicinity are likewise protected. The Kingbird is so abundantly able to pro- 

 tect its nest and young that I often wonder why they are not a great deal 

 more abundant, and think what a blessing it would be if they were as plenti- 

 ful as Robins. 



The nest is neatly constructed, and the eggs, four or five in number, are 

 white with a slight creamy tinge, heavily spotted with black. With rare 

 exceptions I believe that but one brood is raised in a season. 



The Brown Thrasher 



( Toxostoma riifiis) 



THE Brown Thrasher is a rare bird within the limits of the city of New 

 York, and, as far as I know, may be found breeding only in the Borough 

 of Queens. There one may find some dense hedges, thick brush, and wild 

 fields which afford favorable conditions. The bird is sly and adroit in its 

 movements, and on several occasions has slipped unnoticed into the shrub- 

 bery of my lawn, constructed a nest, and deposited a full complement of eggs 

 before its presence was suspected. In each case the nest was discovered 

 accidentally and not by seeing a Brown Thrasher about the place, for not 

 one was ever caught sight of except upon the nest, and I never heard one 

 sing nearer than a third of a mile away. In every instance of the bird nest- 

 ing on my lawn the English Sparrow broke up the nest by picking holes in 

 the eggs. 



The Brown Thrasher is a most delightful songster and a great mimic. 

 In this respect he is excelled only by the Mockingbird, and his notes are 

 loud, clear and melodious. Like the Robin, his song is delivered from some 

 conspicuous perch on the branches of a small tree or shrub, and while, as a 



