APEIL 99 



through bushes as if pursued by a guilty conscience. 

 Only when the musical fit is upon it does it come 

 up into full view, and invite the world to hear and 

 behold. 



The chewink is a shy bird also, but not stealthy. 

 It is very inquisitive, and sets up a great scratching 

 among the leaves, apparently to attract your atten- 

 tion. The male is perhaps the most conspicuously 

 marked of all the ground-birds except the bobolink, 

 being black above, bay on the sides, and white be- 

 neath. The bay is in compliment to the leaves he 

 is forever scratching among, — they have rustled 

 against his breast and sides so long that these parts 

 have taken their color; but whence come the white 

 and black? The bird seems to be aware that his 

 color betrays him, for there are few birds in the 

 woods so careful about keeping themselves screened 

 from view. When in song, its favorite perch is 

 the top of some high bush near to cover. On being 

 disturbed at such times, it pitches down into the 

 brush and is instantly lost to view. 



This is the bird that Thomas Jefferson wrote to 

 Wilson about, greatly exciting the latter's curiosity. 

 Wilson was just then upon the threshold of his 

 career as an ornithologist, and had made a drawing 

 of the Canada jay which he sent to the President. 

 It was a new bird, and in reply Jeiferson called 

 his attention to a " curious bird " which was every- 

 where to be heard, but scarcely ever to be seen. He 

 had for twenty years interested the young sports- 

 men of his neighborhood to shoot one for him, but 



