PEPACTON 



the buttercups, and " Winterseeble " or "Conque- 

 dle " is the winner. 



In marked contrast to this violent love-making 

 are the social and festive reunions of the goldfinches 

 about mating time. All the birds of a neighborhood 

 gather in a treetop, and the trial apparently becomes 

 one of voice and song. The contest is a most 

 friendly and happy one; all is harmony and gayety. 

 The females chirrup and twitter, and utter their con- 

 fiding "paisley" "paisley" while the more gayly 

 dressed males squeak and warble in the most delight- 

 ful strain. The matches are apparently all made 

 and published during these gatherings ; everybody 

 is in a happy frame of mind ; there is no jealousy, 

 and no rivalry but to see who shall be gayest. 



It often happens among the birds that the male 

 has a rival after the nuptials have been celebrated 

 and the work of housekeeping fairly begun. Every 

 season a pair of phoebe-birds have built their nest 

 on an elbow in the spouting beneath the eaves of 

 my house. The past spring a belated male made 

 desperate efforts to supplant the lawful mate and 

 gain possession of the unfinished nest. There was 

 a battle fought about the premises every hour in 

 the day for at least a week. The antagonists would 

 frequently grapple and fall to the ground, and keep 

 their hold like two dogs. On one such occasion I 

 came near covering them with my hat. I believe 

 the intruder was finally worsted and withdrew from 

 152 



