236 



THE BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



General Range. — JMiddle and southern portions of the eastern United States, 

 rare north of latitude 42°. South in winter to Guatemala, Cuba, and the Bahamas. 

 Breeds throughout United States range, and winters from the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf States southward. 



Range in Ohio. — Abundant summer resident ; less common northerly. 



THERE are birds in whose presence you cannot help exclaiming, God 

 bless you ! and this is one of them. Why you should do it you cannot tell 

 any more than you can tell why the same expression rises to your lips at sight 

 of a blue-eyed babe in its mother's arms, kicking and cooing bv turns and look- 

 ing out upon the great round \\orld with great round eyes of wonder. The 

 innocence and frailty of the bird, as of the babe, touches some hidden chord of 



sympathy, and w-e 

 cr}- out in mingled 

 big-brotherly pity 

 and astonishment. 

 One's first intro- 

 duction to this 

 minikin of the 

 woods must 

 almost of ne- 

 cessity be 

 «' hen the 

 bird has ven- 

 tured down 

 to the lower 

 bushes, or 

 leaped - up 



Taken near Ohcrlin. 



Iioto bv the Author. 



A NEST 01' THE ULUF.-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



