103 



In the spring we are visited by an innumerable army of Sparrows larger than 

 those I have mentioned. These are the White-Throated Sparrow, White-Crowned 

 Sparrow, and Fox Sparrow. They are on their way to their breeding grounds to 

 the north of us. The Fox Sparrows pass through early in April, and rarely stay nnre 

 than three or four days. The other two come later, and remain much longer, their 

 migration lasting about three weeks. During all this time they frequent weedy 

 places, where they may be observed industriously foraging for the seed of injurious 

 plants About the middle of September they return, having their number largely 

 increased by the young raised during the summer, and they remain for about a 

 month. During that time they visit nearly evary weed patch and bri)s}i heap in the 

 Province and feed luxuriously, not only on the seeds of the weeds we are most anxious 

 to get rid of, but they also find in such places large numbers of mature insects which 

 would lie there dormant durhig tlie wmter ready to emerge in the spring to work 

 miscl;ief in the crops. Each female insect killed at this time mean.s cutting otf the 

 source of supply of several hundreds of larvae for the next year. In this way the 

 birds are doing most excellent work for the farmer, the value of which can hardly 

 be calculated in dollars and cents, and it is work that, with all our industry and 

 ingenuity, we are not yet able to do for ourselves. 



As winter comes on and our summer residents and spring and autumn visitors 

 leave for the south, vast flocks of weed gleaners come from the north to take their 

 place. The best known of these are the Snow Bird, Tree Sparrow and Slate- Colored 

 Junco. Large numbers of these birds remain with us all through the cold season, 

 frequenting patches of weeds that carry their seed above the snow, and by their work 

 materially lessening the number to spread over the country and germinate in the 

 spring. 



SPARED WS. I 



Description. 

 CHIPPING SPAREOW. 



Adult. Forehead black, a short grayish line in its middle; top of the head 

 chestnut; a grayish line over eye and a black line behind it; back of neck grayish ; 

 back streaked with black, chestnut, and buflfy, rump slaty gray; wing bars not con- 

 spicuous ; under parts grayish white, whiter on throat ; bill entirely black. 



Immature. Breast streaked, no chestnut on crown; bill brownish. 

 L., 5.37; W., 2.75; T., 2.30. 



Xest, in trees or bushes. Eggs, four or five, pale blue, with brown or blackish 

 marking at larger end. 



SONG SPAEEOW. 



Crown reddish brown, with a grayish medium line; a grayish line over eye; a 

 reddish brown line from behind eye to the nape ; feathers of the back streaked with 

 black and margined with brown and gray; greater wing coverts with black spot at 

 their tips; tail reddish brown, the middle feathers darker along their shafts; sides of 

 the throat with blackish streaks ; breast with wedge shaped streaks of black and dark 

 brown which tend to form a large blotcli on tlie centre; sides washed with brownish 

 and streaked with dark brown. 



L., 6.30; W., 2.50; T, 2.60. 



Nest, on the ground, or low down in bushes or brush heaps. Eggs, four or five, 

 grayish or bluish white, speckled with brown of various shades; very variable. 



