a minute or two then, after an interval, repeats
them. I am convinced that this is a sort
of song as the mating season is close at
hand.
  The clean, sandy soil under the orange
trees attracts numerous Turtle Doves and
a few Ground Doves also. One is sure to
find there many Palm Warblers which run
prettily about wagging their tails incessantly.
Another tail wagger, the Phebe is also
particularly numerous here. I often see three
or four at once perching along the fence
that separates the lawn from the shed.
Early in the morning the males sing freely
and in full tones. The Carolina Wren is the
only other bird here that is in full song.
The Mocking Birds have been absolutely dumb
until this morning when I heard one singing
short snatches at intervals for an hour or more.
The Cardinals sing a little at daybreak.
Blue Jays are common and noisy in
the moss hung live oaks throughout the
village. Red-winged Backbirds also frequent
these oaks and sing in small flocks making
a confused medly like that of our northern
Agelaeus in early spring. These Florida Redwings
however, have feeble voices and their tones are
harsher and more cracked. The Jays mimick [mimic]
the Red-shouldered Hawk very often.
Another singer not mentioned above is Polioptila
caerulea. I have heard one twice in the
orange grove. A Centurus inhabits the grove at all times.
I saw him eating the pulp of a fallen sweet orange to-day.