516 GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 



black, the head and throat inclining to chesnut; (as in the young 

 male) 3 only of the lateral tail-feathers are marked with white. 

 — Youngish male with the outer primary partly edged with 

 white, and with the narrow white spots on the 3 inner tertials 

 partly obsolete, or tinged with brown. 



This is a very common, humble, and unsuspicious 

 bird, dwelling commonly in thick dark woods and their 

 borders, flying low, and frequenting thickets near streams 

 of water, where it spends much time in scratching up the 

 withered leaves for worms and their larvae, and is partic- 

 ularly fond of wire- worms (or luli), as well as various 

 kinds of seeds and gravel. Its rustling scratch among 

 the leafy carpet of the forest is, often, the only indication 

 of its presence, excepting now and then a call upon 

 its mate {tow-iccc, tow-ioee, toio-weet,) with which it is al- 

 most constantly associated. While thus busily engaged 

 in foraging for subsistence, it may be watched and ap- 

 proached without its showing any alarm ; and taking 

 a look often at the observer, without suspicion, it 

 scratches up the leaves as before. This call of recogni- 

 tion is uttered in a low and somewhat sad tone, and if 

 not soon answered, it becomes louder and interrogatory, 

 tow-wee toioee ? and terminates often with towctt. They 

 are accused of sometimes visiting the pea-fields to feed, 

 but occasion no sensible damage. 



In the pairing season, and through the period of incu- 

 bation, the male frequently mounts to the top of some 

 bush amidst the thickets, where he usually passes the 

 time, and from hence, in a clear and sonorous voice, 

 chants forth his simple guttural and monotonous notes 

 for an hour or so at a time, while his faithful mate 

 is confined to her nest. This quaint and somewhat 

 pensive song often sounds like, fsh'd iviiee te te te 

 te te, or 'bid-wi tee, tr tr Hr Hr, the latter part a sort of 

 quaint and deliberate quivering trill ; sometimes it sounds 



