96 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
glare of noonday, when every one is out, and seldom 
wastes his powers before sunrise. He seems to keep 
back his own notes until most of the other birds have 
become silent. When he does condescend to begin, 
he sings in a perfect ecstasy of joy, and his soug is as 
merry as the laugh of a child. The gayest part of 
the day with him is the late afternoon, the hour be- 
fore dewfall, when the robin and the vireo begin their 
evening hymn. The bobolink ‘ seems to be practising 
a cotillon on the wing ’ with his active movements and 
vocal flourishes ; and no other bird can approach his 
truly original style. Even the mocking-bird is said 
to give up the attempt in despair, and refuses to sing 
at all when confined in a cage near a bobolink. He 
is an eminently sociable bird, and appears to have no 
liking whatever for solitude. 
* A flock of merry singing-birds 
Were sporting in the grove ; 
Some were warbling cheerily, 
And some were making love. 
There were Bobo’lincoln, Wado’lincoln, 
Winterseeble, Conquedle — 
A livelier set were never led 
By tabor, pipe, or fiddle — 
Crying, “Phew, shew, Wado’lincoln ! 
See, see, Bobo’lincoln 
Down among the tickle-tops, 
Hiding in the buttercups ! 
