394 LAND BIRDS 
His vocal efforts are somewhat different from the bell- 
like notes of the Eastern species, and have been so well 
described by Mr. Keyser in “ Birds of the Rockies” that 
I quote his words rather than attempt a description of 
my own: 
“Tt is a cross between the song of the chewink and 
that of dickcissel. The opening syllabication is like 
dickcissel’s ; then follows a trill of no specially definable 
character. There are times when he sings with more 
than his wonted force, and it is then that his tune bears 
the strongest likeness to the Eastern towhee’s. But his 
alarm call! It is no ‘chewink’ at all, but almost as 
close a reproduction of a cat’s mew as is the catbird’s 
well known call. Such crosses and anomalies does this 
country produce ! 
“ On the arid mountain sides among the stunted bushes, 
cactus plants, sand, and rocks, this quaint bird makes his 
home, coming down into the valleys to drink at the tink- 
ling brooks and trill his roundelays. Many, many times 
as I was following a deep fissure in the mountains, his 
ditty came dripping down to me from a spot far up the 
steep mountain-side 
a little cascade of song mingling 
with the cascades of the brooks.” 
588b. OREGON TOWHEE. — Pipilo maculatus oregonus. 
Famity: The Finches, Sparrows, ete. 
Length: 8.00-8.60. 
Adult Male: Upper parts black, with white streaks on back concealed, 
and all white markings much restricted ; small white round spots 
at tips of wing-coverts ; white patches on outer tail-feathers less than 
an inch in length ; sides dark reddish brown. 
