LARK BUNTING 647 



appearance. They report, further, that although "very similar to 

 the Harris's Sparrows in coloring, the bunting could always be dis- 

 tinguished from a distance by its characteristic behavior. At our 

 approach to the trap the Harris's Sparrows usually flew up, flitting 

 from side to side. The bunting always dove dovm into the farthest 

 comer, and continued to push and flutter in one spot until released." 



The gregarious character is especially prominent on the lark bunt- 

 ing's wintering grounds in northern Mexico. Thus Baird, Brewer, 

 and Ridgway (lS74b) report that "Dr. Kennerly, who met with these 

 birds both in Sonora and Espia, on the ^Mexican Boundary Survey, 

 states that he observed them in the valley of the river early in the 

 morning, in very large flocks. During the greater part of the day 

 they feed on the hills among the bushes. When on the wing they 

 keep very close together, so that a single discharge of shot would 

 sometimes bring down twenty or thirty. Mr. J. H. Clark, on the 

 same survey, also states that he sometimes found them occurring in 

 flocks of hundreds. The greatest numbers were seen near Presidio 

 del Norte. Great varieties of plumage were observed in the same 

 flock. The food seemed to be seeds almost exclusively. They were 

 very simultaneous in all their movements. Stragglers were never 

 observed remaining behind after the flock had started. They are, 

 he states, the most absolutely gregarious birds he has ever met with." 



As characteristic of the lark bunting as its gregariousness is the 

 spectacular song or nuptial flight of the males over their nesting 

 grounds or when courting their mates. Whittle (1922) describes 

 these flights as follows: 



* * * in every direction, first here and then there, often in a dozen places at once, 

 Lark Buntings shot into the air, usually from the ground, as though propelled 

 from guns, pouring out the most infectious and passionate song, perhaps, sung 

 by any bird in the United States. * * * there were at least a hundred singing 

 males, and with them there were, no doubt, a similar number of silent and in- 

 conspicuous females feeding on the ground. If the females were impressed by 

 the singing, or were even aware of it, their behavior did not indicate it. 



In one weedy field I counted twenty singing males. They sing while resting 

 on the ground, on weeds, or on fence posts, but commonly the song begins as the 

 bird leaves the ground, moving directly upward at an angle of about 50° to a 

 height of ten to thirty feet and occasionally higher. The descent is slower, 

 usually indirect and more gradual, the song culminating as the bird comes to 

 rest on the ground or on a fence post. * * * Very frequently these flights, 

 which are doubtless courtship performances, are accompanied by unusual wing 

 motions. Sometimes the wings are set at the apex of the flight and are often 

 upturned over the back in an acute V, after the habit of McCown Longspurs, 

 with which the Lark Buntings are often associated during such exhibitions, the 

 wings being slowly lowered as they glide or float to the ground. At other times, 

 in place of setting the wings, the birds fly downward, the wing strokes not being 

 perfectly synchronized, giving the birds a rocking motion. This alternation of 

 wing strokes, which is only practised during flight singing, is often at a maximum, 



