1920 J General Notes. 585 



until the ends of the primaries swept the ground. For about four or five 

 minutes this prancing dance was continued while he drew nearer the 

 passive female. And now when he was about two inches from and in front 

 of her he picked up a straw, dropped it and picked up a piece of grass 

 which hung from each side of his bill. This seemed to be the signal for 

 the greatest agitation on bis part; with ecstatic dance, full song and vi- 

 brating wings he moved slowly on beating feet, back and forth before 

 the female; then he rose six inches in the air, poured forth glorious song 

 notes and dropped to the ground at one side of the female. He landed 

 on his feet but instantly took a most dramatic pose by holding stiffly 

 his spread tail to the ground and tilting back on that support with head 

 held high, the raised crest and carmine ruff adding to the effect. Then 

 like a little tragedian he rolled over on his side, apparently lifeless; the 

 song ceased and the straw fell from his bill. Up to this time the female 

 had remained oblivious as far as outward manifestation showed, but 

 now she turned quickly and gave the male as he lay "dead" a vicious 

 peck in the breast, whereat he came to and flew up in the tree, a normal 

 bird once more, and was soon singing in the usual deliberate fashion from 

 a high perch. The female busied herself about the spot where he had 

 just danced and soon finding the straw and grass which he had dropped she 

 picked them up in her bill and flew into the tree where she went searching 

 from mace to place for a spot to start a nest. 



I have had one other similar experience with a Purple Finch which 

 included the dance and the straw, but without this dramatic ending. 

 The birds which I have described above were already mated. What 

 relation does this dance of the straw bear to the starting of the nest? 

 At first glance it appears to the reason of man to be an elaobrate attempt 

 to stimulate the female to start building the nest. — Gordon Boit Well- 

 man. 4* Dover Road, Wellesley. Mass. 



Breeding of the Evening Grosbeak in Manitoba. — During the 

 week-end of May 29-June 1, while collecting at Gimli, Lake Winnipeg, 

 I secured several specimens of the Evening Grosbeak. Besides the fact 

 that this was a very late date for the birds in this part of the Province, 

 I was interested to note that they all appeared to be paired, with the one 

 exception of a male which was apparently courting a female Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak. They were present during the whole of the week-end and 

 from their behaviour I judged that they were mating and preparing to 

 nest. Knowing that I should be unable to visit the locality again before 

 August, I mentioned the facts to my friends, Messrs. A. G. Lawrence and 

 Harrold, of this city, asking them if they could run up in the meantime 

 and keep their eyes open for the birds. Mr. Harrold managed to visit 

 Gimli on July 1 and found the birds there as expected. He tells me they 

 were fairly plentiful, but he found no nests as his time was very limited. 

 Early in August I was myself back in Gimli, again found the Evening 

 Grosbeak plentiful, and on August 9 collected a juvenile bird. There is 

 therefore no doubt that they bred here. 



