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103

Ramphocelus, Feb. 19, 1962, III          

Head rather low. Neck stretched forward. Female or juv. doesn't do anything. Male flies away.
  
Thinking things over.....I have come to the conclusion that ФR's tend to become soft and accelerated whenever 1 bird joins another. But they may become fluctuating [[image]] only when many of them are uttered in a single rapid burst. 


Ramphocelus, I   
   
February 20, 1962
Rio Piedras

Working in another area, at least several hundred yards from A area. Arrive ca 6:10 a.m.
  
Hear birds uttering series of TssN's ca 6:20. Definitely earliest vocal pattern. Can't see birds. NN's start 6:30 as usual.
  
Around 7:00 a.m. there is a violent fight between 2 males chasing back and forth, tumbling downward. Accompanied by R patterns (ФR and/or R — I am now certain that these two patterns are essentially identical — or, rather, 2 variations of an essentially unitary pattern).
  
The winner of the fight flies up to a perch. Stands in posture drawn on next page. Apparently silent for a second. Then utters more ФR and/or R, apparently directed to a group of 3 females or juvs. Facing the latter. Still standing in posture with yellow-back fluffed.
  
This fluffing of the back is obviously ritualized. I shall call it "Back R." Apparently purely hostile.

Transcription Notes:
[[image: sketch of fluctuating ФR pattern]] Ф phi