this bird loves to frequent the dusty 

 roads, where it amuses itself after the 

 fashion of an old hen in an ash heap. 



The two beauties in this dull-colored 

 group are the indigo bunting and the 

 gay little chap in yellow and black, vari- 

 ously known as beet bird, thistle bird, 

 wild canary, and American goldfinch. 

 Both birds prefer scrubby pastures or 

 marshy land, probably because the sup- 

 ply of juicy larvae for the little ones is 

 better here than in the drier or less 

 brushy situations. Both nest late in the 

 season. This fact will probably help to 

 account for their continuing in song 

 through the hot midsummer days. 



The indigo bunting selects the highest 

 clump of leaves on the scrubby swamp 

 oak, and half sinking his own blue into 

 the deep fervid green of the oak leaves, 

 proceeds to give us a medley of the notes 

 of his brethren, stops a moment, then 

 goes at it again, vigorously, as if in re- 

 sponse to an encore. His wife being the 

 mare useful of the two in Nature's plan, 

 is much less conspicuous ; her tints are 

 olive and green, to suit her surround- 

 ings, with a wash of indigo here and 



there, probably indifferent to the fam- 

 ily taste in matters of color. 



The goldfinch, however, is the draw- 

 ing card of the collection. Brilliant yel- 

 low with black wings and crown cap, 

 he would be a most attractive bird, if 

 he were as unmusical as the kingbird; 

 but in addition to his contrasty coloring, 

 he is a charming singer, his repertoire 

 running all the way from the plaintive 

 "Baybee, Baybee," uttered when he is 

 busily engaged in helping you to harvest 

 your beet seed, to a ripping song little if 

 at all inferior to that of the tame canary. 

 His undulating flight and his "chicoree" 

 note, which rises and falls with the ele- 

 vation and depression of his little body, 

 make the recognition of the flying gold- 

 finch a very easy matter. 



Tn this short article I can only indi- 

 cate a few of the treats that await the 

 one who goes afield at this season with 

 eyes and ears open to the life about him. 

 Midsummer's birds once learned, we have 

 gained an introduction into the busy life 

 of fields and forests that will aid very 

 materially in our study of the birds when 

 spring once more brings his confusion of 

 sound and color. 



James Stephen Compton. 



song. 



Oh, give the daisies half a chance, 



And they will bloom beneath your feet, 



And cheer your every earthward glance, 

 With up-turned faces fresh and sweet. 



Oh, give the birds a friendly look, 



And ere the summer days go by 

 They'll find a chink or window nook, 



And rear their young beneath your eye. 



Oh, give this dear old world of ours 



A smile upon its journey long, 

 And it will fill your hands with flowers, 



And sweeten all your life with song. 



— Ernest Powell. 



