52 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



or very rare; and so I have not attempted to write even a brief 

 biography of these species. The most that could be said of them 

 would be to set down the few records which I have made of these 

 sparrows, and that I have already done in previous articles. 



Song Sparrow. 

 Melospiza Jasciata. 



Observations of this species will show many differences in different 

 years. I shall not attempt here to note all the various records I 

 have made of the species for many years but have selected the 

 months from October 1912 to April 19 13 for special study. 



The song season of this sparrow gradually draws to a close at 

 the end of August; but after a month of silence, about the ist 

 of October, when there are often fine days, some loud notes of the 

 species may be heard for a few days. And later in the month, even 

 as late as the 20th, a few feeble notes will occasionally be heard. 

 After that date only call-notes are uttered, and during November 

 the Song Sparrow may not be recorded frequently. In December 

 1912, I made two records of the species — on December 5, and 14. 

 Previous to the first date, the bird had not been seen since Novem- 

 ber 25; and after the second date, there were no more records 

 during the winter months. 



Very often the Song Sparrow will begin to sing a little, late in 

 February, but in 19 13 the first subdued notes were heard on the 

 I ith of March. The next day three were heard, one singing louder 

 than the others. On March 13, I heard the fine notes of a Song 

 Sparrow in the same place and in the same manner as an individual 

 of the species had sung last year. All this would seem to indicate 

 that the same bird had returned again to the same locality. The 

 Song Sparrow is a great lover of water, and his matchless strain 

 will be heard oftenest near lakes and streams. 



The Song Sparrow is the favorite song bird of many bird lovers. 

 This is probably so both because of its long song season and the 

 quality of its notes. Strong, clear, varied, melodious — these are 

 characteristics of the Song Sparrow's singing. An absence of the 

 plaintive element that is so evident in such species as the Field 

 and Vesper Sparrows, makes the Song Sparrow a blithe and cheery 

 songster. The abimdance of this species gives the student of bird 

 music an excellent opportunity to appreciate its powers of song. 

 As the birds usually sing in the vicinity of their nests, it is easy to 



