86 



Till-. IMNE SISKIN. 



tlie "new physicists" are teliinp us alxnit. When a bird is siglite<l alone, 

 one sees that it is the _^acefiil. lUKhilatory, or "loopinj^." tlijjht of cousin 

 Goldfinch which tiic social Siskin indulges so recklessly. 



Many of the notes, tix>, rcniin<l us of the (^>Idrinch. There are first 

 those little chattering notes indulged a-wing and a-j)erch, when the birds are 

 not too busy feeding. The Icoodayi of inquiry or greeting is the same. But 

 there is another note quite distinctive. It is a Ialx>rcd. but singularly jKnctrat- 

 ing production with a peculiar vowel sound (like a German umlauted u), 

 ciiin or -nv;;;. So much effort does the uttcrrince of this note co-;t the bird. 



THE riK.VTICKIKS OF PAH.MUSi:, 



RAINICR AS SEEN BY THE SISKIN. 



Photo by IC. Leon Dim-i 



that it always occasions a display of the hidden sulpinir markings of wings 

 and tail. 



When fired by passion tiie Siskin is capable, al.so, of extended song. 

 This daytime serenade is vivacious, but not loud except in occasional |)as- 

 sages, — a sort of chattering, ecstatic warble of diverse elements. The bird 

 has. Ijesides its own peculiar notes, many finch-like phrases and inter|K>lations, 

 reminding one now of the Goldfinch, and now of the California Puri)le Finch. 

 The most striking i)hrase produced in this connection is a triple shriek of the 

 Evening Grosl)eak. sulxlued of course, but very efTective. 



Tho |)erhaps not numerically e<|ual to the Western Golden-crowned 

 Kinglet, nor to the Western Winter Wren, there is not another bird in Wash- 

 ington which enjoys a more nearly uniform distribution than the Pine 



