306 SNODGRASS AND HELLER 



syllables. In some cases the vowel sounds were reversed, so that the 

 song sounded like tee'-tiviir^ fee'-tvjur^ fee' -ttviir . One bird was heard 

 singing tii'-dl^ tii'-dl. 



When Tagus Cove was again visited (March ii to 26), everything 

 was greatly changed. Rains during February and the first part of 

 March had caused a revolution in the vegetation, which was now 

 green, in pleasing contrast with the former brown and barren aspect 

 of the hills. The birds were in the height of their nesting season, 

 almost all of the nests found containing either eggs or young birds. 

 Everywhere the males were vigorously exerting their musical powers 

 and the common song of January was replaced by longer and more 

 elegant pieces of music, so that the teui-'-nvee song was not nearly so 

 prominent as before. The closest thing to it merely had the accent 

 shifted to the second syllable, sounding like tenr-tvee' ^ teur-ivee' . The 

 song variety next removed consisted of a lengthening of the second 



syllable, so that it resembled teur-lTe e\ teur-l7e 2'. Another 



song may be represented thus : tew — twee -twee- twee -twee. The twee 

 syllable was generally repeated four times, but often only two or three 

 times. The space between the first and second syllables was generally 

 considerably greater than that between the others. No syllable had 

 any special accent. One bird was heard singing with a great deal of 

 force a song resembling ee'-zert^ ee'-zert. Special stress was given to 

 the first syllable which was also slightly elongated. A common song 

 at this time sounded something like tiir-iee' ^ tiir-tee' . Another song 

 resembled tee'-iil-tee^ tee'-iil-tee. 



During the breeding season the males sing almost continually and are 

 constantly active. The females on the other hand, both when alone 

 and when with their male companions, are very quiet and reserved, 

 showing little excitement. They utter merely a single, low, pro- 

 longed note used by either bird of a mated pair as a call or an answer 

 to the other when the two are feeding or hopping about in the bushes 

 near each other. When a male is with his mate he is generally con- 

 tented with flying or hopping about with her, making no demonstra- 

 tions of his affection for her and giving no evidence of any unusual 

 state of mind. It is when she is occupied with her domestic duties 

 that the male gives vent to his emotions, pouring forth most lavishly 

 all the songs of which he is capable. It must be said, however, that, 

 although his efforts are good, his actual productions can by no means 

 rank with those of even ordinary singing birds, and indeed anywhere 

 else would scarcely pass for songs. One never hears from the Geo- 

 spizas such songs as are uttered by the song-sparrow or house-finches. 



