on the Yellowish Finch.



99



Iu August they begin to sing, here and there an individual

being heard in the fields ; but when the weather grows warmer

they repair to the plantations in vast numbers, and, sitting on the

branches, sing in a concert of innumerable voices, which pro¬

duces a great volume of confused sound, and which often con¬

tinues for hours at a time without intermission.


By-and-by these pleasant choirs break up, the birds all

scattering over the plains and fields to woo and build, and it is

then first discovered that the male has a peculiar and very sweet

song. Apart from his fellows, he acquires a different manner of

singing, soaring up from his stand on the summit of a bush or

stalk, and beginning his song the moment he quits his perch.

Ascending he utters a series of long, melodious notes, not loud,

but very distinctly enunciated and increasing iu volume; at a

height of fifty or sixty yards he pauses, the notes becoming

slower; then, as he descends with a graceful spiral flight, the

wings outstretched and motionless, the notes also fall, becoming

lower, sweeter, and more impressive till he reaches the earth.

After alighting the song continues, the notes growing longer,

thinner, and clearer, until they dwindle to the merest threads of

sound, and cease to be audible except to a person standing within

a few yards of the songster. The song is quite unique in

character, and its great charm is iu its gradual progress from the

somewhat thick notes at the commencement to the thin tremu¬

lous tones with which the bird returns to earth, and which

change again to the excessively attenuated sounds at the end.


The nest is deep, well-built, and well-concealed, sometimes

resting on the ground, but frequently raised above it. It con¬

tains five long pointed eggs, with a white or bluish-white ground¬

colour, and thickly spotted with brown. I have frequently found

the eggs of the Molothrzcs in its nest, but have never been able to

see this Sparrow feeding, or followed by, a young Molothrus.

Possibly, if it ever hatches the parasitical egg at all, the voracious

young Cow-bird is starved by the delicate food supplied by its

foster-parents.”


Doubtless the colouring of the eggs of the species of

Sycalis led Mr. Hudson to speak of them as Sparrows, since they



