Birds of Indiana. 875 



Kesident, common northward, except in the extreme northern pari; 

 most numerous in winter, when it is found in flocks. There the 

 greater part are usually absent from December 1 to January 25, but 

 occasionally, late seasons, they do not appear until early in March. 

 First observed at Sedan, January 25, 1894; Cook County, 111., March 

 14, 1885, and March 6, 1886; February 22, 1888; Petersburg, Mich., 

 January 22, 1889. They utter a lisping note of varying inflection, 

 sometimes, when on the ground, always when flying. They frequent 

 pastures, meadows, stubbles and fields of winter grain. When snow is 

 on they are often seen where stock has been fed outdoors, and about 

 barnyards. From southern Indiana the greater number go north in 

 late January and early May. Some, however, remain through the 

 year. They are evidently gradually extending their range as the 

 country is more and more brought under cultivation. 



Mrs. Hine says they are increasing in Dekalb County. Prof. B. W. 

 Evermann says up to 1879 it was very rare in Carroll County, but in 

 1886 it was a common resident. I never saw one after late February 

 in Franklin County until 1886, when they remained until after breed- 

 ing time. In 1891 they bred; young were found June 21, and since 

 then they have been present yearly. 



It is the earliest of our small birds to breed. Prof. Cook notes that 

 its eggs have been taken at Plymouth, Mich., in February, and Mr. 

 L. W. Watkins took them March 20, 1889, presumably at Manchester, 

 when the nest was surrounded by snow. Usually, however, with us it 

 nests in March and early April. The nest is placed in a 

 depression in the ground, either natural or made by the 

 bird itself. Sometimes it is composed of but a few sticks or straws, 

 and lined with thistle-down or feathers. At this time they sing a beau- 

 tiful song, but so fine and weak that it can scarcely be heard 200 feet 

 away, and of such ventriloquil effect one can not tell whether the 

 singer is on the ground or in the air. Generally he will be found on a 

 fence or a clod, but sometimes in midair, with feathers erected and full 

 of emotion, which he expresses in his song. This song I have heard 

 at Brookville, March 31, 1896. 



They breed abundantly in Lake County, and they have been found 

 breeding as far south as Bloomington, Spearsville, Greensburg, 

 Richmond, Brookville and Bicknell. L. A. and C. D. Test found young 

 able to fly at Lafayette, April 25, 1893. I found them at Brookville, 

 June 21, 1891. Dr. A. W. Brayton says the young are fully-fledged 

 in May; the male takes care of these and the female resumes 

 her work on a second set of eggs (Trans. Ind. Hort. Soc, 1879, p. 102). 

 Sometimes a third brood is reared, according to Prof. Walter B. Bar- 



