30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



ground has never to my knowledge been ploughed up, while 

 the other is ploughed up at least every two years; this fact alone 

 I should think would produce a great difference in the food 

 supply. 



I regret to say that I am a very poor entomologist, and con- 

 sequently cannot give the names of any of the insects found in 

 the stomachs of those individuals that I have examined, but I 

 can say that so far as my observations go the Yellow-wings are 

 almost wholly insectivorous, although' in some specimens taken 

 in the early sj^ring I have found a small quantity of seeds. 



The Yellow-wing is very uncertain in the time of its arrival 

 in the spring. I have found them as early as the middle of 

 April some years, while in one season they did not arrive until 

 May 10. I have never been able to identify migrating birds, 

 although large quantities must go through both in spring and 

 fall. Early in October I have noticed larger numbers than 

 at any other time, but have attributed it to the young birds 

 which have been raised in the immediate vicinity. The song 

 of the Yellow-wing is peculiar, and no doubt most observ- 

 ers have noticed the ventriloquistic qualities of their rather 

 weak note. On entering a field occupied by the birds, their 

 note at first will sound as if at your feet or a few yards away, 

 while on advancing it sounds so far off j'ou will mistake it for 

 that of another bird. Now if you are desirous of seeing the 

 performer, look for a fence or bush near by, and you will 

 undoubtedly be rewarded, but he will be certainly closer by or 

 perhaps much farther away than you expect, and even after you 

 locate the bird, it is some times difficult to persuade j'our self 

 that you have the right one; if you watch, however, you can 

 hear his feeble effort as he raises himself slightly on the first two 

 notes, and settles down again as he utters the rambling buzz 

 which is the finale of his peculiar insect-like song. 



The fact that these birds so seldem perch on trees has led 

 some usually careful observers to state that they never do, but 

 the fact is for the first few daj'S after they arrive in the sjiring, 

 probably before mating, they are very apt to perch well up in 

 the trees, sitting however entirely still and not apparently look- 

 ing for food. I have never observed any in thick foliage. 



