488 GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 



frequenting low bushy meadows, streams, swamps, and 

 watery situations, which afford him ready shelter, and 

 his usual food of worms, insects, larvae, and seeds. Such 

 situations are also their favorite resorts, when, in gregari- 

 ous and miscellaneous flocks with other congeneric kinds, 

 they are seen to crowd the sheltered marshes of the South- 

 ern States. They are also commonly seen nimbly running 

 along the ground, and gliding through low thickets in quest 

 of their insect fare ; and in fine weather they dust them- 

 selves, and bask in the sun. They often likewise frequent 

 the water, being fond of washing ; and sometimes are 

 seen to swim across small streams, particularly when dis- 

 abled from flying, by a gun-shot wound. 



This species appears to abound from Canada to the 

 Southern States, and breeds probably more or less in 

 all the intermediate region. It builds usually on the 

 ground, a little below the level, under a tuft of grass, or in 

 a low bush, and occasionally in an evergreen, as the red 

 cedar, 4 or 5 feet from the ground. Sometimes pushed 

 for a situation of suflScient concealment from enemies, I 

 have known it make a nest in the hole of a decayed trunk, 

 5 or 6 feet from the ground. It is usually formed of a 

 considerable portion of fine dry grass, neatly put togeth- 

 er, and mostly lined with horse-hair. The eggs, 4 or 5, 

 are greenish or bluish-white, thickly spotted with one or 

 two shades of brown, the spots sometimes larger, and 

 chiefly disposed towards the larger end ; at other times, 

 very small and numerous, scattered over the greater part 

 of the surface. They are very prolific, raising as many 

 as 3 broods in a season, the young being occasional- 

 ly hatched, in the Middle States, from the close of 

 April to the end of August. They are very solicitous 

 for the safety of their young, keeping up at this time 

 often a tiresome chirping ; and on the destruction of 



