* 



360 HISTORY OF THE 



SP. CIIAK. "Head with a depressed crest. Third quill lousiest: fourth and 

 second successively but little shorter; first a little longer than seventh, much 

 shorter than sixth. Tail decidedly rounded or even graduated; three lateral 

 feathers about .25 of an inch shorter. Upper parts dull greenish olive, with the 

 feathers of the crown and to some extent of the back showing their brown cen- 

 ters; upper tail coverts turning to pale rusty brown. Small feathers at the base 

 of the bill, ceres, side of the head as high as the upper eyelid, sides of the neck, 

 throat and fore part of the breast, bluish ashy; the rest of the lower parts, in- 

 cluding axillars and lower wing coverts, bright sulphur yellow. A pale ring 

 round the eye. Sides of the breast and body tinged with olivaceous; the wings 

 brown; the first and second rows of coverts, with the secondary and tertial 

 quills, margined externally with dull white, or on the latter slightly tinged with 

 olivaceous yellow. Primaries margined externally for more than half their 

 length from the base with ferruginous; great portion of the inner webs of the 

 quills very pale ferruginous. The two middle tail feathers light brown, shafts 

 paler; the rest have the outer web and a narrow line on the inner sides of the 

 shaft brown, pale olivaceous on the outer edge; the remainder ferruginous to 

 the very tip. Outer web of the exterior feather dull brownish yellow. Feet 

 black. Bill dark brown above and at the tip below; paler towards the base." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 9.00 13.50 4.00 4.10 .80 .75 



Female... 8.50 12.50 3.75 3.60 .80 .75 



These birds seem to be as much at home among the scatter, 

 ing trees of the upland prairies as within the heavily timbered 

 bottom lands. They are rather retiring in their habits, but bold 

 and courageous during the breeding season, charging upon an 

 intruder with raised crest, snapping bill and a rapid, scolding 

 ' ' Twip. ' ' They have also a loud and rather queer whistling call 

 note, not to my ear a harsh squeak note, as stated by some 

 writers. They fight fiercely for a mate, and they have a habit 

 that I have not noticed in other birds, of plucking, if possible, 

 the tail feathers from a rival, in order to disfigure him so that 

 he will not be looked upon with favor by the opposite sex; and 

 when lucky enough to pull a feather, it is amusing to see them 

 fuss over it, picking, pulling, in fact fighting it, forgetting for 

 the time the owner, in their exultation over the capture. 



In flight they are swift and strong, and sweep down from a 

 perch with unerring aim upon the unlucky insects that wing them- 

 selves in sight, and, if a large one, beat it lifeless before swal- 

 lowing. They also occasionally feed upon small berries. 



Their nests are usually placed in natural cavities in trees, 



