A Tame Olive-Backed Thrush 449 



should have another opportunity, yet they made such a goodly 

 picture in the nest that I could not bear to disturb them. 

 After debating the question a few minutes, I concluded to 

 borrow a Thrush. 



There was no choice of nestlings. As I reached out my 

 hand toward the nest, the four hopped over the side in dif- 

 ferent directions, each giving vent to a startling chirp. I 

 pursued the one that sped up the pathway and thought my- 

 self very fortunate to overtake him. 



The parent birds came to the succor of the young imme- 

 diately with cries of zvhit! whit! zvhit! but remained in con- 

 cealment. I placed the little bird in the corner of the grape 

 basket which I carried and covered him with my handker- 

 chief. He began to call schree! in a sweet, silvery whistle, 

 and struggled to get free. It was almost 9 o'clock in the 

 morning when I made the capture. The day was hot; I was 

 obliged to go home by a longer way as there was another 

 bird's nest to visit. I set out with trepidation. 



Upon finding some strawberries in a hayfield I took the lit- 

 tle bird out of the basket to feed him. He trembled, relaxed 

 his claws, closed his eyes and nestled in my hands. After 

 this we walked a number of miles through the woods, the 

 little bird standing on the edge of my basket, or on my 

 sleeve. Sometimes I put him down on the ground while I 

 let him catch mosquitoes. Once or twice he dodged under 

 a leaf or hid in the grass, but these were the only indications 

 of fear that he now showed, aside from the fact that he re- 

 fused to open his beak for food. He ate two strawberries, 

 taking them bit by bit with the tip of his nib. 



It was noon when we reached the house. I stood the 

 Thrush on the sill of a screened window. Seizing an ant's 

 tgg,^ a bit of earthworm, or a piece of grasshopper with the 

 tips of the scissors, I tried to tempt the little bird to eat. He 

 did nothing but call lustily. Then I placed him on my knee, 



^ At this date the grasshoppers are just beginning to come. Most 

 of them are under a half inch in length. Ants' eggs are very 

 plenty. 



