AMERICAN FINCHES. 35 



welcome notes, which proclaims that the reign 

 of stem winter is about over, and that genial 

 spring is about to return to gladden the earth. 

 It is the first songster in the spring, and its notes 

 are pleasing to the ear ; and it is the earliest, and 

 by far the sweetest songster of all our Sparrows. 



FOOD. It thrives well in a cage, fed on hemp 

 and Canary seed, and soon becomes very tame. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEXES.- -It is very 

 difficult to distinguish the male from the female 

 of this bird. The male is rather brighter in 

 color. 



LOCATION. Found throughout the United 

 States. Winters in the Southern States. 



TOWHE BUNTING, OR SWAMP ROBIN. 



This is a beautiful, and very familiar bird. He 

 will allow you to walk close up to him, while 

 engaged in his favorite occupation of scratching 

 among the leaves for seeds, and the larvae of 

 insects. From which the male will mount to 

 the top of some small tree, or high bush, where 



