4.^ 



TIIK r.kKW l-.R lU.Af 



KI^KI). 



ImcsIi e),'j,'> may Ik- taken in llic \'akinia O'lnitry dnrinf^ ilic Iri^t week 

 in April, and in one case noted, deposition l)epan on .\j)ril I4tli: hut May 

 I St- 1 5th is tlic usual rule there and elsewhere. Five cuK'^ i;^ the common 

 set, hut six to a dutch is not rare. Of tueiity-eiRht nests examined in 

 Yakima County, May 4, iyij6. 

 eleven contained six eggs eacli : 

 while, of snmcthing over two 

 hundred seen altogether, tw 

 nests contained seven each. 



It is in his notes that tlu 

 Brewer Ulackhinl hetrays hi- 

 aflinities ix'st of all. The melo 

 diously squeaking chatter oi 

 mating time is. of course, most 

 like that of the Rusty RIack 

 hird (S. ctirtiliiius). hut it lack 

 tiie huhhling character. He h.i> 

 then the swelling note of the 

 Crackles proper, jff-wcct. the 

 latter part rendered with some- 

 thing of a trill, the former 

 merely as an aspirate : and the 

 whole accompanied hv expan- 

 sion of hody, sligiit lifting of 

 wings, and partial spreading of 

 tail. This note is uttered not 

 only during the courting sea- 

 son, hut on the occasion of ex- 

 citement of any kind. Koorcc 

 has a hue metallic quality 

 which promptly links it to the 

 Kcxrin^ note of the Redwing, 

 alarm, 

 hidden 



wmm 





7-.1*-.-., in .-./.•; r.i,. i ......<.v i ,■■..,.■ ,.., ,.,, ,u,.,.t. 



r.KOUXl) NICST OF ItKKWKR ItI..\CKBIRl). 



Chup is the ordinary note of distrust and 

 • of stern inquiry, as when the hird-man is caught lingering the for- 

 vals. .\ harsh low rattle, or rolling note, is also used when the 



hinls are squahhling among themselves, or lighting f«'r ]K)sition. 



L'nquestionahly this s|)ecies has gradually extended its range within the 

 l^orders of tlie State, for the earlier investigators did not regard it as resident 

 on Tuget Sound. It has ])rolited greatly ami deservedly hy the spread of 

 settlement everywhere, and this is especially true of the more oj)en situations. 

 \ot a little it owes, also, to the introduction of cattle: for it is as great a 

 rustler alxnit corrals and stamping groumls as its renegade cousin, the Cowhird. 



