532 
GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 
varied lay of the Nightingale, the ravishing performer, 
as if in serious emulation, seems to study every art to 
produce the effect of brilliant and well contrasted har- 
mony. As he sits on the topmost bough of some tall sap- 
ling or more lofty tree, surveying the wide landscape, 
his proud voice and elevated action seem to bid defiance 
to competition, and while thus earnestly engaged, he 
seems to fear no spectator, however near may be his ap- 
proaches. The rapidity of his performance, and the pre- 
eminent execution with which it is delivered, seem almost 
like the effort of a musical box, or fine-toned, quickly 
moving, delicate strain on the organ. While feeding, 
in the month of March, they also utter a querulous 
tshippee tshee , in nearly the same sad and liquid tone as 
that uttered by the Yellow-birds while thus engaged. 
The dull colored birds, in the attire of the female, 
do not sing either so well, or in the same manner as the 
crimson-colored individuals, though, as in the Pine Gros- 
beak, it is probable, that the brilliant color is merely con- 
fined to youngish birds ; and hence those in cages, which 
lose that fine tint, are only the more adult individuals, in 
which this deterioration of color is natural. 
Although several pair of these birds usually pass the 
summer in this vicinity, in spite of the utmost diligence 
continued for three years, I have never yet been able 
to discover their nests, although I have seen the female 
collecting wool from a fence for the purpose, so that I 
imagine it will be found to be very like that of the 
Yellow-bird, matted and lined with soft substances. 
General Dearborn, however, informed me, that he had 
seen the nest of this species (in July, 1830) containing 
young, fixed on the low, horizontal branch of a balsam- 
fir, contiguous to a house, and even near a path. The 
outside appeared to be lined with lichens, and the whole 
