224 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



They frequent, while here, the woods, roadsides, stnbble-fields, 

 etc., for the most part in small flocks, and often accompanied 

 by sparrows. They are so tame as fearlessl}' to approach our 

 houses and barns in the country, and they may be attracted 

 to piazzas, particularly those with shrubbery near, by the scat- 

 tering of cracked-wheat or oats. In spite of their familiaritj'', 

 they are easil}^ startled, and fly immediately, at the presence 

 of real or imaginary danger, to ti'ces or shrubbery. They hop 

 quite nimbly on the ground, and while so doing constantly 

 open and shut their tails with rapidity. They occasionally 

 scratch like the Fox-colored Sparrows, or b}- a quick backward 

 motion toss up the snow. I have seen them make passage- 

 ways in this manner to reach the wheat placed for them on a 

 stand, and such long ones that they disappeared in the re- 

 cesses. The}' are quarrelsome, and in them we may see feebly 

 reflected many of the human passions. They have, I believe, 

 a topographical instinct, as is indicated by the prompt collec- 

 tion of apparently the same individuals on the above-men- 

 tioned stand, after the first fall of snow, at the beginning of 

 two or three successive winters. They follow quite strictly, 

 except in autumn and spring, the snow-line, often rather disap- 

 pearing from Boston during the heavy thaws, and returning 

 just before or with the storms. The}' are said to be common 

 about Pl^-mouth, New Hampshire, during the warm "spells," 

 though absent in cold weather. In March and April they be- 

 come rather shy, and arc much among trees, such as the pines, 

 from the branches of which the}^ utter a great variety of musi- 

 cal notes. As soon as the milder weather comes, they migrate 

 to the northward, and they are often scarce here in spi'lng. 



They are sometimes aflTected b}'^ a faintness or dizziness, 

 which may apparently cause death, as I have several times 

 found them lying dead, without a feather ruffled, or without a 

 perceptible wound, and yet food was abundant at the time. 

 Once, in walking througli the woods, m}' attention was attracted 

 by the sound of some object falling, and, upon turning, I saw 

 upon the ground a Snow-bird lying on his back. When I 

 gently picked him up, he fluttered away to a branch, from 



