° ■ 19X6 J Fry, Seasonal Decline in Bird Song. 33 



the decrease did not really begin till about the seventh, and from 

 that date on through the rest of the month the decline was very 

 gradual. There was a day or two when there seemed to be a 

 temporary, though slight, increase, but by August 1 it was heard 

 only occasionally, and during the last few days prior to August 10, 

 only a few phrases were recorded now and then. 



The Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) sang frequently up to the 

 tenth of July, after which there was a very rapid diminution. The 

 last song was heard on the sixteenth, though had its haunts been 

 continually watched during the week following the sixteenth, it 

 might have been recorded occasionally for a few days later. It is 

 interesting to note that a full song, though softer than July's, was 

 distinctly heard on August 7. Was this an accident, or is there a 

 slight rejuvenation of song later in the season? 



Any conclusion at all on the Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) is 

 but tentative as its data are not as full as for most of the other 

 species. The song, if it may be called such, was heard occasion- 

 ally throughout the first half of July and the last record is on the 

 fifteenth. In all probability it would have been heard a good deal 

 later had its particular haunts been more persistently studied. 

 The call notes were numerous throughout the whole period, though 

 they diminished somewhat during August. 



The Red-winged Blackbird {Agelaius phoeniceus phoeniceus) 

 gave its " kong-quer-quee " about the swamps till the thirteenth of 

 July. It is a question whether or not diminution had commenced 

 prior to July 1. After the thirteenth it was heard infrequently 

 and the last record is the thirtieth. The sharp call notes were also 

 noted throughout July, and as there is no record for them after 

 August 1, their diminution seems to practically coincide with the 

 song. 



The White-breasted Nuthatch {Sitta carolinensis carolinensis) 

 was noted occasionally during the first twelve days, and after that 

 date its "yanks" were a good deal more in evidence, and this 

 increase in call continued till about the thirtieth. After that date, 

 and on through to the end of the period studied, it was heard in 

 about the same lessened frequency of the early part of July. 



Up to the fourteenth, the Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) was 

 heard repeatedly. After the tenth its vivacity may have lessened 



