THE BIRDS OF >'E\Y JERSEY. 155 



There is no apparent difference in the plumage of male 

 and female; but the winter dress is much duller and 

 browner than that of spring and summer. The young- 

 are spotted with dusky on the breast during their first 

 summer. 



The birds nest on the gi"ound or in low bushes, the nest 

 being built of grasses, tendrils and small roots and lined 

 with fine grass and hair. The eggs are from three to five 

 in number, of a white or bluish white thickly spotted with 

 brown. 



They breed in the eastern United States and Canada 

 and spend the winter principally south of the Middle 

 States. They are very abundant in New Jei-sey, arriving 

 here about March 1 8 and leaving towards the end of Octo- 

 ber, although a few winter in the southern part of the 

 state. 



Their song begins with three clear, plaintive whistles, 

 and ends with a trill becoming more rapid tow^ards the 

 close. It has been likened to Fee-o, fee-o, fee-o. feiv-few- 

 feii\ fee-fee-fee. 



The food of the birds consists of seeds, principally of 

 wild plants. 



Sparrou\ J^o.r.— Length, seven inches; extent, eleven 

 inches; bill, half an inch, dusky above and yellow below; 

 chestnut brown above, all the feathers edged slight- 

 ly with gray; rumj), grayish brown; wings and tail, bright 

 tawny, long wing feathers dusky, edged with tawny; 

 below^, pure white, throat and breast coarsely spotted 

 with tawny, sides of the ])()dy streaked witli tawny and 

 dark brown. 



The birds nest on the ground or in low trees and bushes. 

 The nest is built of coarse grasses and lined with finer 

 grasses, hair, moss and feathers. The eggs are either 

 four or five in nuinbci-, [)ale bUiish. spotted with brown, 

 and four-fifths by two thirds of an inch in size. 



Tlie birds bi-eed nortli (»f the (liilf of St. Lawrence and 



