BAY-WINGED FINCH. 483 



proceeding as far as the maritime districts of Georgia. 

 From the commencement of April to the beginning of 

 June, they sing with a clear and agreeable note, scarcely 

 inferior to that of the Canary, though less loud and vari- 

 ed. On their first arrival, as with the Song Sparrow, 

 their notes are often given in an under tone of consider- 

 able sweetness. Their song begins at early dawn, and 

 is again peculiarly frequent after sun-set until dark, 

 when, from the fence of some elevated pasture-field, in 

 the cool of the summer evening, when other songsters 

 have retired to rest, the Grass Sparrow, more than 

 usually wakeful, after a silence which has perhaps con- 

 tinued nearly through the warmer part of the day, pipes 

 forth his clear and slender, though now almost monoto- 

 nous song, near to the favorite spot where his mate hatches 

 or fosters her tender brood ; and from all the neighbour- 

 ing meadows, at this silent hour, as the last rays of the 

 sun are reflected from the dusky horizon, we hear a con- 

 stant repetition of an echoing and shrill tsh 'tsh 'tshe te 

 tshete fsJiete, with warbling tones blended and varied, at 

 the beginning and close of this simple, rather pensive, 

 but agreeable ditty. They are more common in fields 

 than thickets, and run along the ground in the manner 

 of the Lark. They likewise frequent ploughing fields, 

 searching on the ground for insects, and are very fond of 

 dusting themselves and basking in dry places. 



The nest is built on the ground, in tufted grass, sunk 

 below the surface, well concealed, and formed principally 

 of withered, wiry grass, also lined with the same and 

 some hair. The eggs, 4 or 5, are flesh-colored white, 

 with 2 or 3 shades of reddish-brown confluent spots, 

 chiefly disposed at the greater end. Being nearly seden- 

 tary, they raise probably several broods in the season. 

 Sometimes when started from the nest, the female simu- 



