84 RIVERBY 



ficial moulting. Their feathers are not shed, but 

 their dusky covering or overalls are cast off. When 

 the process is only partly completed, the bird has a 

 smutty, unpresentable appearance. But we seldom 

 see them at such times. They seem to retire from 

 society. When the change is complete, and the males 

 have got their bright uniforms of yellow and black, 

 the courting begins. All the goldfinches of a neigh- 

 borhood collect together and hold a sort of musical 

 festival. To the number of many dozens they may 

 be seen in some large tree, all singing and calling 

 in the most joyous and vivacious manner. The 

 males sing, and the females chirp and call. Whether 

 there is actual competition on a trial of musical abil- 

 ities of the males before the females or not I do not 

 know. The best of feeling seems to pervade the 

 company; there is no sign of quarreling or fight- 

 ing; "all goes merry as a marriage bell, 7 ' and the 

 matches seem actually to be made during these musi- 

 cal picnics. Before May is passed the birds are seen 

 in couples, and in June housekeeping usually be- 

 gins. This I call the ideal of love-making among 

 birds, and is in striking contrast to the squabbles 

 and jealousies of most of our songsters. 



I have known the goldfinches to keep up this 

 musical and love-making festival through three con- 

 secutive days of a cold northeast rain-storm. Be- 

 draggled, but ardent and happy, the birds were not 

 to be dispersed by wind or weather. 



All the woodpeckers, so far as I have observed, 

 drum up their mates; the male advertises his wants 



