THE PHAINOPEPLA 177 



perched solitarily like shrikes on the tips of 

 high mesquite twigs where the situation offers a 

 good lookout. Like the shrikes, too, they have a 

 way of occupying such positions for unusually 

 long periods. There they sit often for a quar- 

 ter of an hour at a time preening their feathers 

 and stretching their wings, otherwise remaining 

 almost motionless and in silence except as at 

 frequent intervals they repeat their mellow 

 flutelike whistle. 



This call note is a simple one, but not without 

 character; for, like the phoebe's melancholy and 

 plaintive note, it has a pleasing and soothing 

 quality which admirably harmonizes with the 

 quiet beauty of the landscape. During the 

 nesting season this simple note is supplemented 

 by a subdued but rich warble that has many 

 elements of real music. 



My many observations of this silky-plumaged 

 bird lead me to believe that he is almost as good 

 an insect catcher as the phoebe. True, he is not 

 so diligent a worker, but when he sallies forth 

 from his perch and snaps at a fly he seldom 

 misses it. His habit of often returning to the 

 twig from which he has darted reminds one 



