BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 321 



hiding place by something thrown into their covert, when a 

 dozen will dash out and into a low tree near by, or in a short, 

 confused, desultory flight whip into another similar pile of 

 brush, or a closer thicket. A beautiful bird, indeed, but they 

 conceal their capacities for song until they reach their breed- 

 ing localities, further to the north, where their pee, dee, de, de, 

 de, de, de, the first two syllables of which are somewhat pro- 

 longed in 'crescendo,' and slightly rising inflection, with the 

 remainder more rapid in 'diminuendo, ' may be heard frequently 

 repeated through the day in sunshine and shade, even far into 

 the night. 



They are usually seen in the more southern line of partially 

 timbered counties about the 10th of March, and from the 15th 

 to the • 25th, over the rest of the State. My own earliest 

 record of their arrival is March 15th, 1870, but in 1875, it was 

 almost a month later. They remain until about the 1st of 

 May— straggling laggards until still later. Kennicott found 

 them at Lake of the Woods, May 31st. Dr. Hvoslef, reports 

 them as "common some years" at Laeesboro. 



They build their nests on the ground, generally at the foot 

 of shrubs, or bushes amongst coniferous trees in the north- 

 eastern portions of this State. Its principal materials consist 

 of dried grass, very fine inside and neatly finished within. 

 During the months of March, April and May of 1891, I was 

 much of the time at Florin, nine miles south of Sacramento, 

 California, and from March 11th to May 8th it was the most 

 abundant species at "Walnut Corners," (where my sister, Mrs. 

 T. Renbick resides). The trees surrounding the dwelling 

 were mostly English walnuts, and but little farther away the 

 usual varieties of fruit trees. The street fence on two sides 

 was a hedge and immediately about the house were a large 

 variety of bushes, shrubs, etc., affording perfect covert for 

 birds of several species. The House Finches were numerous 

 and kept up a wealth of melody from the earliest dawn till the 

 last rays of the setting sun faded away, but the still more 

 numerous White-crowns were heard only in weak chip-notes until 

 the 6th of May, when the inspiration of song broke their silence 

 with melodies scarcely inferior to the Burions. It was beauti - 

 ful, but to the casual ear, was so mingled with the notes of 

 the other species that it was difScult to distinguish it fully, 

 yet occasionally a strain would be completed alone, and then 

 it was charming, excelled by but few of the sparrow kind. 



