" 1 1 3/fi^ 
Thrashers 
and young 
Blue-birds and. their eyes are open. Their bills are flesh- 
colored, the edges of the gape yellow4sh-white. The feathers 
of the first plumage are beginning’ to appear along the 
median line of the back, on the shoulders, and on the occi¬ 
put. Elsewhere they are covered with long hairy down of a 
dark brown color. I am sure there were three young in this 
nest this forenoon but on visiting it at 3 P. M. I found only 
two . The old birds were absent but one soon returned and 
discovering me set up a scolding tcha - a- a- a- which 
quickly brought its mate also. Both were singularly bold and 
courageous, coming repeatedly within less than three feet of 
my head and flitting excitedly from twig to twig, jerking 
their long tails up, dovm, and sideways, occasionally spread¬ 
ing them wide, flirting the wings with a quick, nervous 
motion and scolding me most vehemently. At first they used 
the tcha- a-a-a note exclusively, but both soon changed this 
for the loud short cry which sounds so much like a smacking 
kiss. They also occasionally gave the low Veery-like pleen 
and twice the male, doubtles under the influence of strong 
excitement, uttered half a dozen notes of his usual song in 
a soft undertone, sitting the while within less than two 
yards of me. Their bold, animated bearing and intense de¬ 
votion to their young impressed me deeply. 
A little before noon I took a short walk around 
and over the hill. The heat was intense but the strong 
breeze me.de it easily bearable even in the full glare of the 
a°i 
