The Junco 291 



The juncos feed almost exclusively upon the seeds of 

 weeds, and this places them among our most useful birds. 



"The unknown fields are their preserves, 

 Where weeds and grasses are seeding; 



They know the lure of distant stacks 

 Where houseless birds are feeding." 



In describing the junco, I have said that the two outer- 

 most tail-feathers are white and the third white and dusky. 

 The illustration accompanying this chapter shows this to be 

 so. Why is it so? Those who have studied the question 

 Notably Darwin tell us that these white feathers and like 

 markings of birds and animals are signal recognition marks 

 by which they know each other while in flight, and no doubt, 

 this is the correct answer to the question. A reason for the 

 answer is that such markings are usually located upon the 

 body in the rear and so that they can be seen only while the 

 bird or animal is in flight. Notably is this so of the flicker, whose 

 white patch is above the tail and so situated that when the bird is 

 not in flight it is covered by the wings. Among the animals 

 the rabbit whose "cotton-tail" is seen only when it is running, 

 is an apt illustration and proof of the theory. Of these mark- 

 ings and like social signs, Mr. Baskett in his Story of the 

 Birds says, "Certain birds have a whirring flight when first 

 flushed, and others have purposely designed wing whistles, as 

 in doves and woodcocks. Others incidentally strike their wings 

 together over their backs as they begin to fly. Yet more vol- 

 untary is the little 'chit' or back talk of many birds as they 

 feed accompanied sometimes, as in the snowbirds, by the 

 little flit of the white tail feathers a sort of 'I-am-with-you' 

 kind of signal in the toil for daily bread." 



With us the juncos are very sociable and are found in 

 flocks. In my childhood days many of them came to our wood- 

 yard and were fed with the -domestic fowls. I loved them then 

 and I love them now. I am not sure that I would be a real 

 bird lover but for having had their companionship. Fifteen 

 acres of Buzzard's Roost is Fall Creek bottom, land, and sur- 

 rounded with timber which shelters it from the fierce winds of 

 winter. The juncos take advantage of this situation and many 



