l92I. 



BuRKiTT.— So«^ and Xesting of Birds. 



9 



The Yellow-hammer's song is a particularly popular 

 melody as he remains perched up on a telegraph wire or 

 bush or tree, and lasts throughout the entire day. Many 

 a time in the past have I waited for some sign of the female, 

 or other indication of a nest, but without avail. I know 

 now that it is nearly certain that such a singer means 

 there is no mate. I have never detected such a singer to 

 have a mate. And converselv I have never heard the 

 male of a known mated pair sing, even in the earliest stages 

 of matehood, unless a very odd scrap. The Yellow- 

 hammer's mated note is essentially the single note, which, 

 though not loud, carries a remarkable distance. The tail 

 bobs down at each note so that you can know he is making 

 it even if too far to be heard. The unmated bird may use 

 this note also to some extent, but the odds are that a male 

 making this note and not singing (proper) is mated. 



The Yellow-hammer begins to sing early in the vear, 

 and makes himself noticeable by his song from a perch as 

 well as by his bright colours ; while hardly any females 

 are noticed for a long while, probably from the absence of 

 any such advertisement. 



Later on two or three males along with one female will 

 be seen makmg long circular flights ; apparently some 

 method of selection. Frequently two or more males will 

 be perched not far from a female ; the true mate will not 

 be singing while the others will. The building female ma\' 

 take long flights with material and the male may accompan\- 

 her. He will probably make the single note during her 

 stay about the nest. (I have in several cases seen the 

 male carrying building material — once in each case — but 

 how much I do not know.) He will either be quite silent 

 and unnoticeable during the incubation (in which he is 

 said to take part) or he may maintain long periods of the 

 note perched fairly near at hand. If some accident happens 

 to the female, singing ma\' re-commence. His part in 

 feeding the young is variable or 7tiL He then usually 

 accompanies her on her flights for food, and may possibly 

 give a bar or two of song (proper) while waiting for her 

 to return. In any anxiety the crest of either bird will 

 probably erect. I have had a number of examples of 



