178 SONG SPARROW. 



Sparrows, Finches, etc. (Family Fringillid^.) 



This, tlie largest family of birds, contains between five 

 hundred and fifty and six hundred species, and is repre- 

 sented in all parts of the world except the Australian re- 

 gion. Sparrows are the evergreens among birds. When 

 the leaves have fallen from the chestnut, oak, and maple, 

 the hemlock, pine, and cedar are doubly dear. So, when 

 the Flycatchers, Warblers, and Thrushes have left us, the 

 hardy Sparrows are more than usually welcome. Feed- 

 ing largely on seeds, which their strong, stout bills are 

 especially fitted to crush, they are not affected by the 

 changes in temperature which govern the movements of 

 strictly insectivorous birds. 



Some species are with us throughout the year, some 

 come from the South iii early spring and remain until 

 snow falls, others come from the far Xorth to pass the 

 winter ; so that at no season of the year are we without 

 numbers of these cheery birds. Fortunately, some of our 

 best songsters are members of this family. Their music 

 is less emotional than that of the Thrushes, but it has 

 a happier ring — the music for every day. 



It is the Song Sj^arrow who in February opens the 



Song Sparrow, season of song, and it is the Song 



Meiospiza/asciata. Sparrow who in l^ovcmbcr sings its 



Plate XLi. closing notes ; nor, except during a part 



of August, has his voice once been missing from the choir. 



His modest chant always suggests good cheer and 

 contentment, but heard in silent February it seems the 

 divinest bird lay to which mortal ever listened. The 

 magic of his voice bridges the cold months of early 

 spring ; as we listen to him the brown fields seem green, 

 flowers bloom, and the bare branches become clad with 

 softly rustling leaves. 



