THE PRAIRIES 



319 



never before did duty as a song ! In his youth he does far bet- 

 ter, the note of the young bird being a wooden-rolling call 

 as different from the voice of the parent as is that of a 

 young Baltimore Oriole. Before the effect of novelty was 

 lost, the yellow-headed serenaders returned to the reeds and 

 the dominant bird song about our camp for the rest of the 

 day was that of the Western Meadowlark. 



In the poplars, 

 the Warbling Vireo 

 was the song leader, 

 the little double- 

 toned roll going off 

 at intervals, the time 

 of which was regu- 

 lated by the reply of 

 a rival singer in a 



Female Warbling Vireo 

 Incubating 



neighboring grove. 

 From crowing Cocks 

 to Vireos, nothing 

 so stimulates song 

 as song. Even 

 when on the nest, 

 while his mate was 

 feeding, a Vireo 

 near our tent could 



not refuse the song challenge ; a habit which guided me to 



his home. 



Unlike the Yellow-headed Blackbird, the Bronzed 



Grackle appears to appreciate his limitations as a vocalist 



and makes small effort in that direction. Nevertheless these 



Male Warbling Vireo Singing on Nest 



