Notes on the Leucostictes. 3 



The rapid flitting of the wings of the leucostictes is no- 

 ticeable, though sometimes one of the birds will soar 

 through the air with outspread wings, fluttering the wings 

 only enough to give movement to the body. The flitting 

 of the wings appears to be caused by their tips being elevat- 

 ed above the general level of the bird's back. 



Very early in the spring the leucostictes give evidence of 

 the approach of the nuptial season. After the middle of 

 January a male will frequently chase another or a female, 

 like Meadowlarks in amorous sport. Occasionally, at this 

 season, a male will alight for a few moments on some con- 

 venient perch, and utter a pretty little trill, like "tree-ree- 

 ree-ree ree," enunciating the syllables with great rapidity. 

 As the season advances and the warm sunshine of late Feb- 

 ruary indicates the further progress of the vernal period, the 

 males become more prolific in their musical efforts. Sitting 

 on the ridge of house or barn, generally at the end of the 

 ridge, alone or in small troops, they utter their wheezy 

 chants, sometimes with no more force than that used by the 

 Grasshopper Sparrow, though often with greater force and 

 more varied expression. 



The males sing also when sitting on the ground, appear- 

 ing to be picking up morsels of food and singing as a fre- 

 quent variation. In such instances the song has a ventrilo- 

 quil effect, seeming to arise from a point much farther 

 away. A male singing on the ground will sometimes sidle 

 toward a female, and if she coyly takes wing, a reckless 

 amorous pursuit will follow. 



In producing their musical numbers, the males care little 

 for surroundings if an appreciative female listener is near. 

 Late in February last }'ear I observed a male sitting on a 

 telephone pole in front of the post office at mail time, and 

 disregarding the activity below, he uttereti his low, hurried 

 trills. 



In early March the wing-bars of ihe leucostictes become 

 more prominent, the purple of the sides begins to show 

 more noticeably, and the colors generally assume their 



