508 GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 



more of them are to be seen, having at this time, in quest 

 of sustenance, proceeded probably to the southern ex- 

 tremity of the United States. Those observed in tropi- 

 cal America, may be hibernal wanderers from the cooler 

 parts of Mexico. At all events, they select the milder 

 climates of the Union, in which to pass the breeding 

 season, as at this time they are but rarely seen in the 

 Southern States, Kentucky being about the boundary of 

 their summer residence. 



Naturally vagrant and wandering, they continue to live 

 in flocks, or in near vicinage, even throughout the great- 

 est part of the selective season. As the fine weather 

 of spring approaches, they put off their humble winter 

 dress, and the males, now appearing in their temporary 

 golden livery, are heard tuning their lively songs as it 

 were in concert, several sitting on the same tree, enjoy- 

 ing the exhilarating scene, basking and pluming them- 

 selves, and vying with each other in the delivery of their 

 varied, soft, and cheerful warble. They have also the fac- 

 ulty of sinking and raising their voices in such a delightful 

 cadence, that their music at times seems to float on the 

 distant breeze, scarcely louder than the hum of bees ; it 

 then breaks out, as it were, into a crescendo, which rings 

 like the loud song of the Canary. In cages, to which 

 they soon become familiar and reconciled, their song 

 is nearly as sonorous and animated as that of the lat- 

 ter. When engaged in quarrel, they sometimes hurl 

 about in a whole flock, some, as it were, interfering to 

 make peace, others amused by the fray, all uttering loud 

 and discordant chirpings. One of their most common 

 whining calls, while engaged in collecting seeds in gar- 

 dens, where they seem to be sensible of their delin- 

 quency, is, 'may be, ^mdy he. They have also a common 

 cry like 'tsheveet 'tshevee, uttered in a slender complain- 



