942 KEPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



at least, two broods are reared in a season. Davie reports fresh eggs 

 having been found in Illinois as late as August 12. I have observed 

 young not able to fly, at Brookville, Ind., July 8, 1887. They have 

 been gradually increasing in numbers and extending their range. Fif- 

 teen years ago, in the lower Whitewater Valley, they were rare, any- 

 where; now, it is the most common meadow bird on the uplands, but 

 it is rare in the lowlands. In 1886 it was a rather common summer 

 resident in Monroe County and a very rare summer resident in Carroll 

 County (Evermann). It was not reported at that time from Putnam 

 or Lake counties, where there were good observers. Although Mr. 

 Xelson gave it as abundant in Cook County, 1876, Mr. H. K. Coale 

 collected there and in Lake County for a number of years up to about 

 1888, and was unable to find it. In May, 1887, I visited many locali- 

 ties in Cook County and failed to observe it. It first began to be com- 

 mon in Dekalb County in 1893, and Prof. A. J. Cook notes its increas- 

 ing abundance in southern Michigan (Birds of Mich., p. 112). 



The following are the earliest and latest dates of first arrival in 

 spring: Brookville, April 8, 1892, April 27, 1885 and 1897; Chicago, 

 111., April 18, 1896, May 11, 1895; Waterloo, April 21, 1896; Ply- 

 mouth, Mich., April 19, 1896; Petersburg, Mich., April 23, 1897. 



Often when they arrive in the spring they are mated. One who is 

 familiar with them will first detect their arrival by their peculiar 

 stridulatlng song. It reminds one of the music made by the grasshop- 

 per or cricket. From this curious song the bird is named. The song 

 has several variations, among which are the following: "pit-tick-zee- 

 e-e-e-e-tick," or, "tick-zee-e-e-e-e;" another, the most common of the 

 longer efforts, is, "pit-tick-ze-z-rr (trill) 1-rl (rl sometimes three or 

 four times repeated) ee-e-e." It may be sung from the ground, a weed 

 in the meadow, a small bush, a clod in a plowed field, or a fence-post. 

 It begins with the dawn, and may be heard through the day and until 

 8 or 9 o'clock at night. A favorite position is on a fence, where they 

 will often permit one in a buggy to pass within 10 or 15 feet of them. 

 Then the large bill and head, short tail and wings and light-colored 

 legs, may be plainly seen. When they have selected a home they 

 seldom fly far, but when they first arrive, or after breeding is past, 

 they make long, zigzag flights close to the ground. 



The sudden changes which come to their homes are enough to 

 drive these birds away, and that is generally the result. Late in June 

 they are driven from the fields of small clover when the first crop is 

 mowed. Then they seek other fields for a short time, until the abund- 

 ant rains cause it to renew its growth. By the middle of July the 

 mower cuts clean the fields of timothy. About the meadows the fences 



