t Santa Ba 

 NEST 



The Black-chinned Sparrow 



quality was entirely new, but its cadence was Spizelline. We declared 

 camp at once, and a charming spot we found, under the live oak trees at a 

 little remove across the river. We called it Black-chin Camp, of course, 

 although the Black-chinned Hummers were there to dispute honors with 

 atrogularis. The night dragged all too slowly with the memory of the un- 

 seen singer to haunt the 

 professional conscience, 

 and the no less disturb- 

 ing promise of early so- 

 lution in the morning. 



True to all the tra- 

 ditions of hospitality, 

 our host called us in time 

 for breakfast (although 

 he would not get it for 

 us). Shrill, vibrant, pen- 

 etrating, with the incis- 

 iveness of a whip-crack, 

 but infinitely sweeter, 

 comes each note, accel- 

 erando, until the trill is 

 reached. Here the singer 

 becomes disheartened, 

 and lets his melody peter 

 out to an inglorious fin- 

 ish. Alternating irregu- 

 larly with this song is 

 another which is little 

 more than a simple (and altogether different) trill. This phrase begins 

 with a single inspirated note, those which follow are just distinct enough 

 to be separated by the ear, while the terminal portion becomes rapid and 

 diminuendo, as before. This echo song, moreover, is oftenest terminated, 

 after the tiniest interval, by a single cheep or tsweet of characteristic qual- 

 ity. It is as though the singer had signed his name with a flourish to a 

 performance which we should not otherwise have recognized. 



It must have been this alternate, or echo song, of which Grinnell 

 could say: "The general impression is of a weak song. It certainly does 

 not carry far; on the contrary a bird may be singing close at hand and 

 give the impression of a great distance." 1 Of the major song I can only 

 testify that it has extraordinary carrying power, and that I have heard 

 it distinctly (the bird being meanwhile under observation by 8-powers) 



1 Grinnell-Swarth, " Birds and Mammals of San Jacinto." U. of C, Publ.in Zool., Vol. 10. 1913. p. 275. 



bara County 



ING HAUNT OF THE BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW 



JIO 



