360 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



and ever and anon a half-dozen voices are heard 

 nearly at the same instant, producing a perfect 

 medley of sounds. While the females are incuba- 

 ting, and even afterwards up till the time of their 

 departure, we are greeted with the same curious 

 yet agreeable reception on every return to accus- 

 tomed haunts. 



The flight of this species is low, firm, and but 

 slightly protracted. 



Its song is loud, clear, and resonant, and has a 

 pleasing intonation which when once heard cannot 

 be forgotten. It is not continuous, but is produced 

 at somewhat graduated intervals. It resembles 

 tiwa-ker-ee uttered with a rising inflection. Its 

 call-note is a simple tchlck. 



Mating ordinarily begins about the 2oth of 

 April in favorable seasons, and by the 28th of the 

 same month, or the beginning of May, th ebirds 

 are ready for building. A nest is constructed 

 within a tussock of grass, but generally upon the 

 alder bushes so common along the borders of 

 meadow streams, where the young are less liable 

 to the attacks of such snakes as the Bascanion 

 constrictor and Tropidonotus sipcdon, which have 

 such a decided penchant for such fare. Those 

 built upon bushes are more symmetrical and com- 

 pact in structure than those which are placed upon 

 small mounds in swampy situations, and display 

 occasional patches of mud, exteriorly. The latter 

 are surrounded by tall overarching grasses, and 

 have in consequence a looseness of arrangement 

 and will scarcely bear manipulation. 



