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this song resembles. The song of the Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak as heard in wild birds I should describe as 

 being like that of the Robin,* but more melodious 

 and richer, and uttered with greater deliberation. It 

 will be perceived that the contrast between this kind 

 of song and that of the Bulbul is great. This song 

 was constant and of daily occurrence throughout the 

 last ten days of May and the whole of June, but 

 ceased and was given up entirely by July 4. 



During the whole of May (the pairs having 

 mated and being in different cages), the process of 

 mating, and later the matters of nest-building and 

 laying were carried on as I shall now set forth. After 

 much preliminary courting on the part of the males, 

 which was accompanied by some severe quarrels 

 between the mating birds, they finally became paired. 

 These quarrels were at times so severe that it was 

 essential to separate the birds for periods of greater 

 or less time. The strange female which I introduced 

 to one of the males had to remain for several weeks in 

 a small cage inside of the larger cage in which the 

 male was confined, in order to prevent the sanguinary 

 quarrels in which the birds engaged. At times one 

 would be the victor and again the other ; but generalh^ 

 it was the male bird that was triumphant. The victor 

 in every case so bullied and annoyed the vanquished 

 that the life of the conquered bird was, for the time, 

 rendered miserable. However, all this was remedied 

 by time the birds came ultimately to a satisfactory 

 understanding. 



About the middle of May it was evident that they 

 wished to build nests ; an}^ straw or stray feather in 

 the bottom of the cage was eagerly taken and attempts 

 were made to place such material in some secure 

 position. I now put branches in both of the cages, 

 with what I considered suitable forks in which the 



* The Aiuerican Robin.— Ed. 



