122 



Till-: SMLFELDT JUNC()» 



Range in NVashinKton. — Common summer rcsitlcnt tliriunit the State, in or 

 near c<>nifcri>n> liinhir, from sea level to limit of trees; sparingly resident in 

 winter ehielly west of Cascades. 



Authorities. — As in iirecedinj;. ('i'l. C\S. Sr. Ka. IV. I. I',. K. 



Specimens. — l'. nf W. 1". H. lln. 



H(J\\lC\'lCk it may fare with the ( )rejion jiiiico (q. v.). the southern 

 invaders, the ImhIs uilli tlie rusty jjray hacks, now ai)|)ear to |K)SSCSs the land. 

 Thev have stolen hack sometime in March, so nnobtrusively we scarcely 

 noticed when tlie suhstitution of jjray-hacks for red-hacks was effecte<l ; but 

 soon we <lo ucttice that tlie yards and clearings arc fretiuentcd by hapi)y 



rollicking troo])« of 

 Shufeldt Juncoes, and 

 we notice too that some 

 prc>n<nmced flirtations 

 are being carried on. 



There is a jovial 

 restlessness alK>ut tlicse 

 birds' in flock which is 

 contagious. Their ev- 

 ery movement is ac- 

 companied by a happy 

 titter, and tlie jnirsuit 

 of necessities is never 

 so stern that a saucy 

 dare from one of their 

 nninl)er will not send 

 the whole comi)any off 

 pell-mell like a route of 

 sch<M)l-boys. Whenever 

 a Junco starts to wing, 

 it flashes a white signal in the lateral t.iil-feathers : and this convenient 

 "recognition mark" cnai)les the birds to keep tr.uk of each other thruout the 

 maddest gambols in brush-lot or tree-top. 



On a sunny day in March the Junci>es gather for a grand concert. The 

 males mount the bush-to])s and liold forth in rival strains, while the females 

 lurk under cover and take counsel of their hearts. Junco's song is a sweet 

 little tinkling trill, not very pretentious, but tender and winsome. Inter- 

 spersed with this is a variety of sipping and suckling notes, whose uses are 

 hard to discern. Now and then. also, a forcible kissing soimd may W heard, 

 eviflently a note of repulsion instead of attraction, for it is eniploye<l in the 

 breeding season to frighten enemies. During the ()rogress of the concert 

 some dashing young fellow, unable fully to express his emotion in song. 



riiolo by IC. L. FtnUy. 



sir: vol: INTRLDi:! 



Al.E SlirFF.I.nT II'NCO ON NKST. 



