750 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 p^kt 2 



A. Stevens writes from Fargo, N. Dak., that data Perna M. Stine 

 kept from 1929 to 1944 show the average return date for the Minot, 

 N. Dak., area to be May 10. 



For the Regina, Saskatchewan, district. Belcher (1961) states: 

 "Usual spring arrival, second week in May; earliest arrival. May 10 

 (Lahrman)." Cartwright et al. (1937) include a table that shows an 

 average spring arrival date in Manitoba of May 11 and for Alberta, 

 May 10. Stuart Griddle reports the earliest arrival for Manitoba as 

 Apr. 21, 1942. The only other April date for Canada is shown in the 

 Cartwright et al. (1937) table: Apr. 28, 1922, at Behnont, Manitoba, 

 as reported by J. C. Wilson. 



Territory. — The males arrive fu-st on the summering grounds and 

 immediately establish their territories. I have watched these early 

 arrivals as they disputed possession of a certain breeding area. Rival 

 males leap up from the conceahng grass like jack-in-the-boxes, face 

 to face, wings pumping rapidly and claws raking wildly. In a mo- 

 ment they drop back to ground cover again, rest a few seconds, and 

 leap into view once more. Finally one bhd flees, the other pursues it 

 a short distance and returns to his domain. Neither bird utters a 

 sound during these contests. 



Such struggles persist only for a few days, and soon each male is 

 undisputed master of a sizeable piece of real estate, usually between 

 1 and 2 acres in extent. With the division of property settled, 

 each male's next action is to select several strategic singing perches 

 within it. These may include a tuft of grass or weeds, a low bush, a 

 post, a strand of fence wire, a boulder, and often he will sing from the 

 ground. But from wherever he sings, the first time he throws back 

 his head and tinkles his sUvery little bell-song, he discards the cloak 

 of anonymity that has concealed his identity since he feU silent the 

 previous fall. 



Courtship. — Cartwright et al. (1937) make the following observations 

 on the courting activities of Baird's sparrow: 



One of us (T.M.S.) witnessed the real mating performance * * * on June 3, 

 1930. A male was observed acting strangely on a patch of matted straw. It 

 was walking slowly along with head drawn in and tail slightly fanned; it vibrated 

 first one and then the other wing rapidly over its back, resembUng greatly the 

 wing flutterings of a young bird about to be fed. It never vibrated both wings 

 at once. It bobbed its head to near the ground several times but made no sound 

 during the performance. When it fiew its wingbeats were abnormally fast and 

 fluttering. It hardly seemed able to contain itself and had no sooner alighted on 

 another patch before it recommenced the display. 



Further examples of courtship performances were observed by one of us (R.H.D.) 

 on June 27, 1931. Two singing males, whose territories adjoined, were frequently 

 observed to invade each other's territory. A tussle then ensued and the invader 

 was then driven back to its own domain. They would sometimes pursue each 

 other about erratically, often alighting, and sometimes fighting. The bird occupy- 



