963 



Retort of State Geologist. 



song. Its song conies with the blooming of the violet, innocence and 

 the Virginia cowslip. John Burronghs says: "Its song is like the 

 words, fe-o, fe-o, fc-o, few, feiv, few, fee, fee, fee,, uttered at first 

 high and leisurely, but running very rapidly toward the close, which 

 is low and soft.'' Tlie song continues practically through the sum- 

 mer. Some singers drop out, but many are still singing the first of 

 August, and not a few a M'eek or two later. August 10, 1897, I 



Fielil Sparrow. 

 (.Bonl.— Fiiniiors' liullotin, 51. I'tiitoil States Departiuent of Afrrioulture, p. 27.) 



heard several singing as well as they did in April. September 14, I 

 found one trying his bej=t io sound Hie uot(V. l)ut his etfort was very 

 imperfect. 



I have observed them mating as early as March 20 (1897). They 

 are usually found nesting in May. June and sometimes July. Earliest 

 nests noted at Brookville, May 7, 1883, May H, 1881. Two or three 

 broods are reared. August 28, 1896, I found a nest and eggs near 

 Brookville. I have referred to their food habits under the last spe- 

 cies. Prof. F. H. King, in addition, notes that 7 he examined ate 

 a caterpillar, 2 grasshoppers, a heteropterous insect, a harvestman. a 

 spider; -i had eaten small weed seeds (Geol. of Wis.. I., p. 539). 



