'^is6u'."] i'K()C'i:i:i)iNGS of the national museum. 595 



wlierc lioivses and cattle are coiiliniially riiiiiiiiig- about, I found the 

 nest of a Savanna Spitiiow, protected only by a tuft of prairie grass. It 

 contained five eggs, and was composed of grass with a meager lining 

 of borsebair, tlie whole being slightly sunk in the ground. 



June 29, Eapid tity : All this spring 1 have been puzzled by a pecu- 

 liar simple little song that was uttered by a small iusignificantlooking 

 sparrow, which usually perched on the top of a low bush in a dry 

 grassy locality. This afternoon I succeeded in shooting one of these 

 birds in the very act, and was somewhat surprised to find that it was a 

 Savanna Sparrow, a bird that I was otherwise very familiar with. The 

 song is readily suggested in my mind by the phrase ''■ tship e tship-e- 

 tship-e-screc-tshi2).''^ 



Soon after arriving it may be seen on neaily every little willow bush 

 on the Big Plain, repeating its short ditty, with the simple earnestness 

 that characterizes the Scrub Sparrows. Its voice is much sweeter than 

 that of the Shattuck Bunting {Spizclla 2)cillula), but it must needs finish 

 with the inevitable "buzz." The song is shaped somewhat like '■^tshijh 

 e-tshipe-tship-e-screet.shij)^^ This is uttered for hours together with 

 untiring diligence, and yet withal a lack of improvement that would 

 seem to explode the old adage, "Practice makes perfect." 



This bird is remarkably shy, even in places where man is scarcely 

 ever setui. 



188. Ammodramus bairdii. Build's Sparrow. 



Abundant summer resident thioughout the Assiniboine Valley, 

 wherever there are alkaline Hats. One of the connnonest birds, and 

 doubtless breeding along the boundary on the prairies westward of 

 Pembina Mountain to Mouse liiver (Coues). Carberry, very rare; 

 Fingerboard, rare; Shoal Lake, west, abundant; also at Birtle 

 and Shell River (Thompson). A supposed specimen obtained at IMoose 

 Mountain, July 3, 1880 (Macoun). 



On June 4, 1884, near Shoal Lake, west, shot a number of Baird's 

 Burnings. They do not answer to Coues's description (1 Key). The 

 crown is suffused with dull orange. Its song is very like that of a 

 Savanna Sparrow. In many parts of the prairies west of Birtle there are 

 low fiat alkaline stretches sparsely covered with long wiry grass. 

 Wherever the land is of this character Baird's Bunting is sure to be a 

 prominent if not the prevailing species. It is now in full song, and 

 Its peculiar notes are to be heard on all sides. The song may be ren- 

 dered trick-e4rick'e4nkceeee-chiky-le-roit, with a peculiar utterance 

 that at once distinguishes it from the song of Savanna sparrows. 

 Another type of song with this species is like irieJc-c trick- etrike c 



June 22, Shell River country : Here the dry alkali bottoms are more 

 frequent, and the bunting is numerous in proportion. 



June 24, Shoal Lake: Baird's Sparrow is common about here, though 



