THE TREE SPARROW. 69 



No. 34. 



TREE SPARROW. 



A. O. U. No. 559. Spizella monticola (Gmel.). 



Description. — Adult : Crown bright chestnut, bordered by broad gray su- 

 perciliary line ; obscure chestnut streaking on side of head on gray ground ; above, 

 feathers of back black with rufous and flaxen edgings ; scapulars, greater coverts, 

 and outer webs of secondaries broadly edged with rufous; middle and greater 

 coverts tipped with white, forming two fairly conspicuous wing-bars ; remainder 

 of wing and tail blackish, edged with whitish ; below gray, slaty, or sordid white ; 

 a partially concealed dark spot in center of breast; a chestnut patch on side of 

 the breast ; sides and flanks tawny in varying proportions ; bill blackish above, 

 yellow below, with dark tip. /;; winter specimens, the chestnut of crown is 

 slightly veiled centrally by ashy, and the chestnut on the sides of the breast va- 

 riously distributed or almost dispelled. Av. of six Columbus specimens : Length 

 6.00 (.152.4) ; wing 2.96 (75.2) ; tail 2.57 (65.3) ; bill .37 (9.4). 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size, but stockier; chestnut crown and rufous 

 tone of upper parts ; white wing-bars ; partially concealed dusky spot on breast ; 

 gregarious habits, in winter. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. "Nest, in low bushes or on the ground, 

 loosely constructed of bark strips, weeds and grasses, warmly lined with feathers. 

 Eggs, 4-6, or even 7, pale green, minutely and regularly sprinkled with reddish 

 brown spots" (Coues.). Av. size, .75 x .60 (,19.1 x 15.2). 



General Range. — Eastern North America, west to the Plains, and from the 

 Arctic Ocean south in winter, to the Carolinas, Kentucky, and eastern Kansas. 

 Breeds north of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. 



Range in Ohio. — Abundant in winter, especially northerly. 



THE sight of the first Tree Sparrow in the fall serves perfectly to call 

 up a vision of impending winter. Here are the hurrying blasts, the leaden 

 skies, the piling snow-drifts, all ready to make the beholder shiver. But here, 

 too, in some unburied weed-patch or thicket of rose-briars, is a company of 

 Tree Sparrows, stout-hearted and cold-defying, setting up a merry tinkling 

 chorus, as eloquent of good cheer as a crackling Yule-log. How many times 

 has the bird-man hastened out after some cruel cold snap, thinking, "Surely 

 this will settle for my birds," only to have his fears rebuked by a troupe of 

 these hardy Norsemen reveling in some back pasture as if they had found 

 their Valhalla on this side the icy gates. Ho ! brothers ! here is food in these 

 dainty capsules of mustard or mallow ; here is wine distilled from the rose- 

 hips : here is shelter in the weedy mazes, or under the soft blanket of the snow. 

 What ho! Lift the light song! Pass round the cup again! Let mighty- 

 cheer prevail! 



The Tree Sparrow is easily the most abundant bird in the state during 

 winter. A half day's ramble in the northern part will discover from three 



