BIRDS OF BRILLIANT FEATHERS. 



147 



The female bird is very plainly attired in brown- 

 ish gray with only a suggestion here and there of 

 greenish blue. She selects a bird house for her nest, 

 or the hole in some old apple tree or fence post. 

 Mr. Burroughs says she shows no affection for her 

 gallant mate and no pleasure in his society, and if 

 he is killed she goes in quest of another husband in 

 a most businesslike manner. The nest is a simple 

 hollow in the center of some dried grass ; in it there 

 are from four to six very pale-blue eggs. 



The bluebird's song impresses me with its 

 scrappy nature ; he has only three or four notes at 

 his command, and these are in the minor bey. Like 

 the robin, he often sings in triplets, thus : 



&v^- mOEliirjto. 



r-i'^P^-i[jjT ^^ 



but his notes are sweeter and not so strong ; unlike 

 the robin, though, he says very plainly as he sings : 



^^ 



Tre-wee,tre-wee-ly. Tre-wee, tre-wee-ly Tre-wee4y, trewee-ly. 



These notes are not hke those of the canarylike 

 yellowbird ; they have a more bell-like quality. As 

 early as the latter end of March the bluebirds beo-in 



