THE LITTLE SONGSTERS. II9 



fine-appearing, characteristic head. As the male bird 

 sits on a branch of the apple tree near the nest he 

 sings his one song of only two 

 notes, thus : 



Sometimes he hiccoughs in the 

 finale, thus: " Phce-Mck-be." ' ^^cB-be. 



Eut the song is quite monotonous and sounds re- 

 markably like some thin, piping voice calling for 

 " Phoebe." In size the bird is a trifle larger than 

 the song sparrow. He holds a nearly upright posi- 

 tion as he sits on a twig, and now and then sud- 

 denly darts after some passing insect, but returns 

 immediately to resume his song. He cocks his head 

 this way and that as he sits and sings, evidently 

 keeping a sharp lookout for stray millers, flies, and 

 bees. 



