222 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



and are common for a month or so, a few even lingering until 

 May. They frequent for the most part swampy woodland, 

 unless the water be frozen, though also gardens, stubble-fields, 

 the roadsides, and occasionally the immediate neighborhood 

 of houses (usually, in the last case, onl}' as individuals). They 

 generally gather in parties of from five to twenty, and often 

 associate with other birds, such as the Song Sparrows or Snow- 

 birds, particularly the former. In the early morning their 

 songs, when blended with those of these sparrows, form a loud 

 and ver^^ striking, but confusing and misleading chorus. The 

 Fox Sparrows are rather shy, when frightened taking flight to 

 trees (especially the pines), but they pass most of their time 

 upon the ground, where they feed principally upon seeds, and 

 such morsels as they find beneatli the fallen leaves. They 

 have a peculiar habit of scratching much like hens, and thus 

 turn over the pine-needles, etc., or rake the grass. 



(cl). Their most pleasing characteristic is their song, which is 

 rich, full, loud, clear, and ringing, though tinged with a slightly 

 mournful tone. It can be well imitated by the liuman whistle, 

 but cannot be well described, owing to its several variations. 

 It may often be heard here, chiefly in the cooler hours of the 

 day, in March or April. It is sometimes abridged to a sweet 

 warble, to which twitters are occasionally added. The Fox- 

 colored Sparrows have also a rather dreary lisp or " tseej)" and 

 a loud chuck, which is more rarely heard. In my Journal is 

 tlie following anecdote of a young bird of this species. " Nov. 

 24th. * * * * Observing him on a branch above me, I whis- 

 tled the spring-song of this sparrow, being curious to observe 

 his conduct. Whereupon the youngster swelled his throat, 

 opened his bill, and apparently tried to sing, producing, how- 

 ever, only a few weak hisses. This he repeated several times, 

 as often as I whistled. Finding, however, none of his com- 

 panions about, as I had probably led him to suppose, he soon 

 returned to the asparagus-bed near by." His instinct of song, 

 and his futile efforts to answer m}^ deceptive notes, afford much 

 food for interesting thought. 



If anything can add freshness to the freshness of a bright 



