Towhee 
129 
about the head — bluer than the summer sky 
which pales where his little figure is outlined 
against it. 
Mounting by erratic, short flights from the 
weedy places and bushy tangles he hunts among 
to the branches of a convenient tree, singing as 
he goes higher and higher, he remains for a time 
on a conspicuous perch and rapidly and repeat- 
edly sings. When almost every other bird is 
moulting and moping, he warbles with the same 
fervour and timbre. Possibly because he has the 
concert stage almost to himself in August, he 
gets the credit of being a better performer than 
he really is. Only the pewee and the red-eyed 
vireo, whom neither midday nor midsummer 
heat can silence, share the stage with him then. 
TOWHEE 
Called also: Chewink; Ground Robin; Joree 
From their hunting-ground in the blackberry 
tangle and bushes that border a neighbouring 
wood, a family of chewinks sally forth boldly 
to my piazza floor to pick up seed from the 
canary’s cage, hemp, cracked com, sunflower 
seed, split pease, and wheat scattered about for 
their especial benefit. One fellov/ grew bold 
enough to peck open a paper bag. It is a daily 
happening to see at least one of the family close 
