342 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



is rarely the case among birds, rivals the male in 

 the power and brilliancy of her song. On clear 

 moonlight nights, the song of the male is often 

 continued until daybreak. Its song may be 

 expressed in part by the syllables hwl-chee-hwl-chee- 

 hwl-chee, koo -che -koo -che -hwee-to-tiou -tiou - kweet 

 pronounced rapidly and in a loud, clear, and dis- 

 tinct manner. In case of surprise its ordinary 

 note is a loud and sharp chip. 



The food of this species during the autumnal 

 and winter months, consists of berries, and the 

 seeds of weeds and grasses. The principal of 

 these are the berries of Juniperus Virginiana, J. 

 community Viburnum lentago, V. dentatum, Pyrola 

 rotundifolia, Amelanchicr canadensis, Ga^dtheria 

 procumbens, Liquidambar styraciflua, and the seeds 

 of Amarantus hybrid us, A. a! bus, Ambrosia arte- 

 misuefolia, Apios tubcrosa, and various species of 

 panicum, aster, and solidago. During unusually 

 severe winters when pressed by hunger, they will 

 not hesitate to visit the farmers' cribs where for 

 days together they will manage to eke out a pre- 

 carious existence, by extracting the grains from 

 the cob, through the slats. In the spring, vast 

 numbers of the tassels of Alnus serntlata and Be- 

 tula exceisa which are abundant along meadow 

 streams, and in dense high thickets; and, later, the 

 berries of Pnmus Virginiana, Rubus villosus, and 

 Rubus strigosus, which are very prolific in their 

 accustomed haunts, The following insects con- 

 tribute slightly to their subsistence: Cratonyckus 



