A YEAR IN THE FIELDS 



during which the piping, voluble, rapid, 

 intricate, and delicious warble of the ruby- 

 crowned kinglet is the most noticeable 

 strain to be heard, especially among the 

 evergreens. 



I notice that during the mating season 

 of the birds the rivalries and jealousies are 

 not all confined to the males. Indeed, the 

 most spiteful and furious battles, as among 

 the domestic fowls, are frequently between 

 females. I have seen two hen robins scratch 

 and pull feathers in a manner that con- 

 trasted strongly with the courtly and digni- 

 fied sparring usual between the males. One 

 March a pair of bluebirds decided to set up 

 housekeeping in the trunk of an old apple- 

 tree near my house. Not long after, an 

 unwedded female appeared, and probably 

 tried to supplant the lawful wife. I did not 

 see what arts she used, but I saw her being 

 very roughly handled by the jealous bride. 

 The battle continued nearly all day about 

 the orchard and grounds, and was a battle 

 at very close quarters. The two birds 

 would clinch in the air or on a tree, and fall 

 to the ground with beaks and claws locked. 

 The male followed them about, and warbled 

 and called, but whether deprecatingly or 

 48 



