896 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 pabt 2 



bill at a time. They also fed their young fruits of the grass Bromus 

 catharticus. 



Voice. — T. S. Roberts (1932) gives the following account: 



The song of the lark sparrow is long and varied, full of life and animation, and 

 is poured forth with great fervor. It consists of a series of runs and trills, liquid 

 and clear, broken here and there by fine aspirate notes which, however, do not 

 detract from its beauty. Mr. Robert Ridgway, in his Birds of Illinois (1889), 

 after expressing surprise that the vocal capabilities of the lark sparrow have been 

 so generally neglected by authors and stating that in sprightliness and continuity 

 the song "has few, if any, rivals among North American Fringillidae," goes on to 

 describe it in the following glowing terms, which coincide perfectly with the 

 writer's experience: 



"As the bird perches upon the summit of a small tree, a fence post, or a telegraph 

 wire, his notes may be heard throughout the day — in the morning before those of 

 any other, and late in the evening when all else but this unweary songster are 

 silent; indeed, often have we been awakened at midnight by a sudden outburst 

 of silvery warblings from one of this species. This song is composed of a series of 

 chants, each syllable rich, loud, and clear, interspersed with emotional trills. 

 * * * Though seemingly hurried, it is one continuous gush of sprightly music; 

 now gay, now melodious, and then tender beyond description, — the very ex- 

 pression of emotion. At intervals the singer falters, as if exhausted by exertion, 

 and his voice becomes scarcely audible; but suddenly reviving in his joy, it is 

 resumed in all its vigor, until he appears to be really overcome by the effort." 



The performer usually sings from the spreading limb of a tree, but at times from 

 a more lowly perch, changing his position frequently. Snatches of the song may 

 be given on the wing while the bird is passing from one place to another, and 

 rarely he indulges in a brief flight song; he then arises a little way above the 

 perch and with upturned head pours out the sweetly liquid notes in an ecstasy of 

 fervent feeling. 



At Lake Texoma singing was rather sporadic. So far as I could 

 determine, only the male lark sparrow sings. Instead of establishing 

 a favorite singing perch or perches, he may sing almost anywhere 

 within or near his territory, from the ground or from various vantage 

 points in shrubs or trees, or in flight. The flight song is particularly 

 characteristic of the courtship period. During combats a series of 

 high trilling notes is often heard, which is also uttered during copula- 

 tion, apparently by both sexes. 



The alarm note is a rather sharp chirp used by both sexes. When 

 disturbed they also may utter low guttural notes. Nestlings use a soft 

 trilling note when begging for food. After leaving the nest their 

 frequent soft chirps enable the parents to locate them. 



Birds continued to sing throughout the summer, even while they 

 were molting and had gathered in large flocks. In early August I 

 heard individuals singing from telephone wires late in the evening 

 and well after dark. J. G. Tyler (1913) noted of the species in Cali- 

 fornia: "Aside from the inimitable Western Mockingbird, I know of 

 no other bird that sings so often at night." 



