70 FRINGILLID;E. 



whole upper plumage yellowish olive, with dun markings, the lower 

 surface of a dull yellow. The female is a little smaller than the male, 

 and her colours are somewhat dimmer. 



This species is resident and gregarious in the Argentine Republic, and 

 in autumn frequently congregates in flocks of several thousands. They 

 are not so universally distributed as the Chingolo, and are not wood- 

 birds, but frequent open plains abounding in thistles and other coarse 

 herbage, which affords them shelter. In cultivated districts, where 

 their food is most abundant, they are excessively numerous, and, after 

 the harvest has been gathered, frequent the fields in immense flocks. 

 While feeding, the flocks scatter over a large area of ground, being 

 broken up into small companies of a dozen or more birds, and at such 

 times are so intent on their food that a person can walk about amongst 

 them without disturbing them. They take flight very suddenly, burst- 

 ing into a thousand chirping, scolding notes, pursue each other through 

 the air, and, after wheeling about the field for a minute or two, suddenly 

 drop down into the grass again and are silent as before. 



In August they begin to sing, here and there an individual being 

 heard in the fields ; but when the weather grows warmer they repair 

 to the plantations in vast numbers, and, sitting on the branches, sing- 

 in a concert of innumerable voices, which produces a great volume of 

 confused sound, and which often continues for hours at a time without 

 intermission. 



By-and-by these pleasant choirs break up, the birds all scattering 

 over the plains and fields to woo and build, and it is then first dis- 

 covered that the male has a peculiar and very sweet song. Apart from 

 his fellows, he acquires a different manner of singing, soaring up from 

 his stand on the summit of a bush or stalk, and beginning his song the 

 moment he quits his perch. Ascending, he utters a series of long, 

 melodious notes, not loud, but very distinctly enunciated and increasing 

 in volume ; at a height of fifty or sixty yards he pauses, the notes becom- 

 ing slower ; then, as he descends with a graceful spiral flight, the wings 

 outstretched and motionless, the notes also fall, becoming lower, 

 sweeter, and more impressive till he reaches the earth. After alight- 

 ing the song continues, the notes growing longer, thinner, and clearer, 

 until they dwindle to the merest threads of sound, and cease to be 

 audible except to a person standing within a few yards of the songster. 

 The song is quite unique in character, and its great charm is in its 

 gradual progress from the somewhat thick notes at the commencement 

 to the thin, tremulous tones with which the bird returns to earth, and 

 which change again to the excessively attenuated sounds at the end. 



The nest is deep, well-built, and well-concealed, sometimes resting on 



