WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 235 



East, hopping close to the benches and picking up food 

 at your feet. They have a not unmusical call-note and a 

 soft, sweet, twittering song. When the birds are about 

 to begin housekeeping in tlie spring, this musical effort 

 is heard at intervals all day long and is very pleasing. 

 Both sexes cooperate at the preparation of the nest, 

 which they buiki in a hollow under the roots of a tree, 

 or, at Del Monte, under the heavy evergreens and low- 

 growing shrubbery. It is a simple affair of pine needles 

 or fine grass, and so nearly matches the bird in coloring 

 as to render her practically invisible when sitting. The 

 little Juncos, although born naked, soon don a pretty 

 habit of striped light and dark brown, and arc even more 

 invisible than the adults among the reddish pine needles. 

 They remain in the nest about ten days, when they are 

 fully feathered and able to fly. They are fed by regurgi- 

 tation for several days, and then with raw insects brought 

 by both parents. For some time after making their ddbut 

 from the nest, the hungry youngsters follow the adults 

 about, begging with quivering wings for food. 



They are fond of bathing, and run into the spray of 

 the lawn hose or splatter in tiie puddles made by it with 

 utter disregard of the presence of gardener or guest. I 

 have seen them pick up crumbs scattered for them by 

 a Chinese helper within two feet of wliere he lay under 

 a tree eating his own dinner. Evidently the most per- 

 fect camaraderie existed between the man and the birds, 

 for when the feast was spread he called them by a pecu- 

 liar squeaking noise and was instantly surrounded by 

 several pairs. This was late in May, and they were 



