Slate-colored Junco 255 



when their tails being tuUy expanded, the white and black colours displayed 

 in them present a quite remarkable contrast. 



"The migration of these birds is performed by night, as they are seen in a 

 district one day, and have disappeared the next. Early in March, the Snow- 

 bird is scarcely to be seen in Louisiana, but may be followed, as the season 

 advances, retreating towards the mountains of the middle districts, where many 

 remain during the summer and breed." 



Near the close of Audubon's narrative he makes this significant statement: 



"Their flesh is extremely delicate and juicy, and on this account small strings 

 of them are frequently seen in the New Orleans market, during the short period 

 of their sojourn in that district." 



This, of course, was written many years before the Audubon Law, which 

 protects these birds, was enacted by the legislature of Louisiana. 



The Junco passes the winter in suitable locations throughout eastern United 

 States from the Gulf of Mexico on the south to southern Canada on the north. 

 In summer it is distributed generally from New England northward thruughout 

 Canada as far west as Alaska. They also breed in the upper parts of the Cats- 

 kill Mountains and along the ridge of the Appalachian Mountains south to 

 Georgia. On many of the mountains of western North Carolina I have found 

 these birds a most abundant species in summer. In fact on some of the moun- 

 tains one may encounter more Snowbirds on a day's tramp than all other 

 species combined. Blueberries are very common in these mountains, and in 

 summer the Snowbird varies its usual diet of insects with these wild fruits. 



The nest is built in a depression in the ground, often on the side of some 

 little bank or among the mingled roots and sod of an upturned tree. If, during 

 the summer, one comes upon a Junco with a little worm or the larvae of some 

 insect in its bill, he need only wait a few minutes and the bird will probably be- 

 tray its nest by going to feed its young. I have often had this experience. In 

 fact, the Snowbird's nest has been, for me, one of the easiest to find. In every 

 instance I have found it by watching the birds going to it. The nest itself is 

 usually well hidden, and the small amount of dried grass and moss of which it 

 is composed blends so well with the surroundings that one would hardly expect 

 to discover the little cradle with its four or five speckled eggs or young. 



In the spring the Junco has a song. It is not very loud and is not very long, 

 but liearing it, as one usually does, when few other birds are giving voice to 

 their happiness, it makes a strong appeal to the ear of the bird-lover. 



The Slate-colored Junco (Junco hycmalis) is the common Junco with which 

 most people are acquainted. In the southern Alleghany Mountains, and breed- 

 ing as far south as northern Georgia, there is a race of Juncos {J . h. carolinvnsis) 

 that is slightly larger and its markings are a little dilTerenl from the common 

 Junco. Still another race, the Montana Junco (./. //. niDnlanus), is found in the 

 Rocky Mountains, breeding from southern Alberta to Idaho and jxi-^sing the 

 winter in Ari/.ona, Texas, and Mexico. 



