74 THE RICE BUNTING. 



In the month of May, these birds fix their abodes in the 

 "savannahs" of Ohio and Michigan, and the cool grassy 

 "meadows" of New York, Canada, and New England for the 

 purpose, principally, for hatching and rearing their young. 

 The song of the male continues, with but little interruption, 

 during the period of incubation, and his chant, at all times 

 very similar, is both singular and pleasant. " Often, like the 

 skylark, mounted and hovering on the wing, at a small height 

 above the field, as he passes along from one tree top or weed 

 to another, he utters such a jingling melody of short variable 

 notes, so confused, rapid, and continuous, that it appears 

 almost like the blending song of several different birds. 

 Many of these tones are very agreeable, but they are delivered 

 with such rapidity that the ear can scarcely separate them. 

 The general effect, however, like all the simple efforts of 

 nature, is good, and when several are chanting forth in the 

 same meadow, the concert is very cheerful, though monotonous, 

 and somewhat quaint. Among the few phrases that can be dis- 

 tinguished, the liquid sound of Bob-6-lee, or Bob-o-link, Bob-o- 

 linke, is very distinct. 



" To give an idea of the variable extent of song, and even an 

 imitation, in some measure, of the chromatic period and air of 

 this familiar and rather favorite resident, the boys of this part 

 of New England, [Cambridge,] make him shout among others, 

 the following ludicrous dunning phrase, as he rises and hovers 

 on the wing near his mate: — ' ' 'Bdb-o-link, 'Bdb-o-link, ''Tom 

 Denny, ""Tom Denny — ''Come pay me the two-and-six-pence you've 

 owed more than a year and a half ago I — Hshe Hshe Hshe, Hsh Hsh 

 Hshe] modestly diving at the same instant down into the grass, 

 as if to avoid altercation. However puerile this odd phrase 

 may appear, it is quite amusing to find how near it approaches 

 to the time, and expression of the notes, when pronounced in a 

 hurried manner." * 



This relish for song and merriment, confined wholly to the 



male, diminishes as the period of incubation advances, and 



when the young brood begin to flutter around their parents, 



* Nuttall. 



