BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 321 
hiding place by something thrown into. their covert, when a 
dozen will dash out and into a low tree near by, or in a short, 
confused, desultory flight whip into another similar pile of 
brush, or a closer thicket. A beautiful bird, indeed, but they 
conceal their capacities for song until they reach their breed- 
ing localities, further to the north, where their ped, deé, de, de, 
de, de, de, the first two syllables of which are somewhat pro- 
longed in ‘crescendo,’ and slightly rising inflection, with the 
remainder more rapid in ‘diminuendo,’ may be heard frequently 
repeated through the day in sunshine and shade, even far into 
the night. 
They are usually seen in the more southern line of partially 
timbered counties about the 10th of March, and from the 15th 
to the 25th, over the rest of the State. My own earliest 
record of their arrival is March 15th, 1870, but in 1875, it was 
almost a month later. They remain until about the Ist of 
May—straggling laggards until still later. Kennicott found 
them at Lake of the Woods, May 31st. Dr. Hvoslef, reports 
them as ‘‘common some years” at Laeesboro. 
They build their nests on the ground, generally at the foot 
of shrubs, or bushes amongst coniferous trees in the north- 
eastern portions of this State. Its principal materials consist 
of dried grass, very fine inside and neatly finished within. 
During the months of March, April and May of 1891, I was 
much of the time at Florin, nine miles south of Sacramento, 
California, and from March 11th to May 8th it was the most 
abundant species at ‘‘Walnut Corners,” (where my sister, Mrs. 
T. Renbick resides). The trees surrounding the dwelling 
were mostly English walnuts, and but little farther away the 
usual varieties of fruit trees. The street fence on two sides 
was a hedge and immediately about the house were a large 
variety of bushes, shrubs, etc., affording perfect covert for 
birds of several species. The House Finches were numerous 
and kept up a wealth of melody from the earliest dawn till the 
last rays of the setting sun faded away, but the still more 
numerous White-crowns were heard only in weak chip-notes until 
the 6th of May, when the inspiration of song broke their silence 
with melodies scarcely inferior to the Burions. It was beauti- 
ful, but to the casual ear, was so mingled with the notes of 
the other species that it was difficult to distinguish it fully, 
yet occasionally a strain would be completed alone, and then 
it was charming, excelled by but few of the sparrow kind. 
