THE AMERICAN REDSTART. 



197 



incubation. She is even believed to sing a little on her own account, not 

 because her mate does not sing enough for two, but because she — well, for 

 the same reason that a woman whistles, — and good luck to her ! 



During the mating season great rivalries spring up, and males will chase 

 each other about in most bewildering mazes, like a pair of great fire-flies, 

 and with no better weapons — iighting fire with fire. When the nesting site 

 is chosen the male is very jealous of intruders, and bustles up in a threatening 

 fashion, which quite overawes most birds of guileless intent. 



Redstart's song is sometimes little better than an emphatescent squeak. 

 At other times his emotion fades after the utterance of two or three notes, 



Fhoto by 



J. B. Parker. 



A FAIRY BONBON. 



PAPA REDSTART IS PRESENTING HIS BABY WITH A CADDIS-FLY. 



and the last one dies out. A more pretentious effort is represented by Mr. 

 Chapman as "ching, ching, chee; ser-wee, sivee, swee-e-e-e." Because of the 

 bird's abundance many variations are noted, and, indeed, the Redstart's song 

 is often quite puzzling, especially if it proceeds from a colorless young strip- 

 ling of one summer. 



One knows exactly where to look for the Redstart's nest, but for all that 

 it is not easy to see a "knot" in the fork of a young sapling, matched to a 

 nicety with the surrounding bark, and oftenest hidden by a leaf or two — not 

 many, but just enough. The fabric is a model of daintiness and close weav- 

 ing. Strips of the inner bark of common milkweed or shredded grape-vine 



