156 



musical, and has the soft plaintive quality character- 

 istic of the Rose - breasted Grosbeak. It is very 

 melodious, and while the birds have continued to sing 

 daily to the time of this vi^riting, no one would refer 

 the method of song to the bird in question. While it 

 is fully as prolonged as the song of the Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak, as we knov/ the bird out of doors, it has 

 not nearly the volume, and is not so abruptly broken. 

 The notes are low and flute-like and resemble strongly 

 the kind of song one associates with Robins and 

 Thrushes in the autumn or late summer for a short 

 period, after they have completed the moult. I have 

 had a number of competent observers listen to the 

 performances of these birds on many occasions, and 

 all agree with me that the song could not be referred 

 to the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It is true and en- 

 tirely possible that later the birds may develop a more 

 characteristic song but inasmuch as the time ap- 

 proaches when wild Rose-breasted Grosbeaks make 

 their advent in this vicinity, coming from their winter 

 homes, I am inclined to believe that these birds have 

 now acquired the song that will characterize them 

 throughout the period of breeding. I may say that I 

 have mated two of the birds, one of the young males 

 and the female, and have secured an older female 

 from another source, with which I have mated the 

 other male bird. I trust that I may be able to report, 

 later, successful efforts in breeding these birds in 

 captivity, and further data concerning the method of 

 song which may obtain amongst them. This finishes 

 my remarks in regard to the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, 

 and I now propose to give some data in regard to 

 Meadowlarks, obtained about May 25th, 1903. 



(To be continued). 



