ecause there is no other song quite like it, you can always
tell me by the color of my coat. Hello! Here comes Cousin Chicoree. Did
you ever see a happier fellow than he is? I'll venture to say that he
has been having such a good time that he hasn't even yet thought of
building a nest, and here half the people of the Old Orchard have grown
families. I've a nest and eggs myself, but that madcap is just roaming
about having a good time. Isn't that so, Chicoree?"

"Isn't what so?" demanded Chicoree the Goldfinch, perching very near to
where Linnet was sitting.

"Isn't it true that you haven't even begun thinking about a nest?"
demanded Linnet. Chicoree flew down in the grass almost under Peter's
nose and began to pull apart a dandelion which had gone to seed. He
snipped the seeds from the soft down to which they were attached and
didn't say a word till he was quite through. Then he flew up in the
tree near Linnet, and while he dressed his feathers, answered Linnet's
question.

"It's quite true, but what of it?" said he. "There's time enough to
think about nest-building and household cares later. Mrs. Goldfinch and
I will begin to think about them about the first of July. Meanwhile we
are making the most of this beautiful season to roam about and have a
good time. For one thing we like thistledown to line our nest, and there
isn't any thistledown yet. Then, there is no sense in raising a family
until there is plenty of the right kind of food, and you know we
Goldfinches live mostly on seeds. I'll venture to say that we are the
greatest seed-eaters anywhere around. Of course when the babies are
small they have to have soft food, but one can find plenty of worms and
bugs any time during the summer. Just as soon as the children are big
enough to hunt their own food they need seeds, so there is no sense in
trying to raise a family until there are plenty of seeds for them when
needed. Meanwhile we are having a good time. How do you like my summer
suit, Peter?"

"It's beautiful," cried Peter. "I wouldn't know you for the same bird I
see so often in the late fall and sometimes in the winter. I don't know
of anybody who makes a more complete change. That black cap certainly is
very smart and becoming."

Chicoree cocked his head on one side, the better to show off that black
cap. The rest of his head and his whole body were bright yellow. His
wings were black with two white bars on each. His tail also was black,
with some whit