48 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



sing ''Old Sam, Peahody, Peabody, PeahodyP 

 In Maine where the jackknife is supposed to be 

 the constant companion of every man, it says 

 ''All-day, whittling, whittling, whittling. '''* In 

 Canada the song takes on a patriotic rendering, 

 for every loyal inhabitant is sure it sings, clearly 

 enough, "Oh sweet, Canada, Canada, Canada P 

 There are many other interpretations, so that 

 one may exercise a wide range in his choice of 

 words to fit the music of the White-throat. But 

 you may be quite sure, if you are so fortunate as 

 to hear its full nesting song, you will not be 

 disappointed. 



These Sparrows are among the few fall singers, 

 so they are doubly welcome when they again 

 return to us as they journey south. Some- 

 times on October mornings we find them in the 

 shrubbery in the backyard of our city home; 

 and it has happened that in reply to a whistled 

 imitation of their song they have favored us 

 with a bit of fascinating melody. They linger 

 about during the autumn days till winter is 

 close at hand, then move along southward. 

 Sometimes a few winter in the vicinity of New 

 York City and even, it is said, as far north as 

 Massachusetts, but the great majority winter 

 south of Virginia. 



The usual call note of the White-throat is a 

 lisping " tchip,^"" but, when alarmed, he utters 

 a very emphatic " chink,^'' with a metallic ring 

 that has led to its being called the "quarry" 

 note. Like Fox Sparrows, they scratch with 

 both feet at once among the dead leaves, a 

 rather ludicrous performance. They are about 



