normal trill interpolated here, beginning with "quil") - 
chup-chup (the normal call note) quip-quip-quip-quer-e-e-e- 
quil-1-1-1-1-1, etc. This was repeated many times at 
short intervals,always in low, subdued tones. Some of the 
notes were very musical and the general effect of the per¬ 
formance was very pleasing, I wonder if it can represent 
the first (or early) attempt at singing on the part of 
yoting birds. It can hardly be termed sotto voce singing 
(it is too loud for that). Rather I ^ould call it a 
musical soliloquy^ 
Fox Sparrowi> and Jxmcos feed all day long on the 
hemp and millet seed that we had thrown out for them in 
front of the cabin. Their nmbers varied from time to 
time for they kept coming and going. Our highest count 
gave 15 Fox Sparrows and 10 Juncos. I have no doubt 
that thrice as many visited the seed bed in the course of 
the day. It was a pretty sight, that of so many attrac¬ 
tively colored birds feeding quietly almost directly 
under our window. The big, rusty-rufous Fox Sparrows 
were the more impressive of the two species, the slaty- 
blue Juncos the prettier and daintier. Despite the 
abundance of visible seeds, the Fox Sparrows were con¬ 
tinually scratching after their usual fashion — that is, 
by jumping alternately forward and backward among the 
dry leaves. This motion was so vigorous and effective 
that the leaves were often thrown up into the air to a 
