THE 00 LOG I ST. 



37 



by the collector before and recorded ; still, 

 there is no excuse for saying '■' Every one 

 knows of it, and 1 have put it down before." 

 Perhaps every one knows of it atid perhaps 

 no one does. Tlie repeated recurrence of 

 what appears to be the most iiisiguiticant 

 phenomenon may change the whole aspect 

 of a bird's character. 



Oology cannot be studied to advantage 

 it it is considered a task or is undertaken 

 in too I'ormal a manner — too much method 

 is inconsistent witli the study of luiture : 

 one cannot begin with tiie list and learn a- 

 bout each species in its turn ; neither can 

 he dejjcnd upon ascertaining just what he 

 searches for, though an experienced natu- 

 ralist is more certain to be successful than 

 a mere collector. 'J\) go into the fields and 

 diligently apply one's self to the phenomena 

 as they appear alternately before him, is the 

 easiest and cpiickest method of beginning 

 the'study. Jt is not to be inferred that the 

 profitable study of birds' eggs is within the 

 power of the born 0()logist alone; intei'est 

 and application will ctfect a great deal for 

 anyone who has the determination and ad- 

 mires Nature. 



Studies on Certain Fringillidae.— 

 The Tree Sparrow. 



I MON(j the many species of birds 

 which frequent the United States in 

 winter, is the Tree Sparrow — Spi- 

 ZL'lla monitcola. It greatly resembles the 

 C'liippiiig Sparrow, and its habits are sim- 

 ilar, but it is easily identified by tiie Hesli- 

 <tolor of the hnver mandible, and its song, 

 which is entirely ditflTeut from that of *S'. 

 Nociaiis. Sometimes these little Sparrows 

 will appear in scores about the gai-dens, ut- 

 tering their peculiar sec'-wU, nee'-wit, or 

 singing a pretty litth; refrain, so low and 

 modest, but so sweet withal, that one is in- 

 clined to admire it. They are very a(!tive, 

 one might say almost restless, flitting about 

 in the bushes and vines, gleaning every- 

 where, or chasing each other about as if in 

 sport. In New York, they appear to be 



most abundant in the month of November, 

 and again in February and March, when, 

 in company with White-throated, White- 

 crowned, Song, and Swamp Sparrows, they 

 j frequent the mai'shy places and scrubby 

 [ hill-sides. They are not at all shy, but 

 seem to regard man with confidence, and to 

 consider him as a protector. Such is their 

 boldness that they will i-eadily enter a trap 

 cage or sie\e trap, and being released will 

 have little or no hesitation in entering again. 

 During the great snow storm which occur- 

 red in April, 1874, we obtained many of 

 these Spai-rows, together with other spe- 

 cies, and, though all others would immedi- 

 ately quit the vicinity upon being let free, 

 they would fly down in the garden, and fain 

 have again eaten the inevitable grain. In 

 confinement, a number will tiirive together 

 better than one or a pair would, and if prop- 

 erly cared for will become very confiding 

 to man and indifierent to objects that are 

 naturally a terror to them ; often they can 

 be taught to eat from the hand, and they 

 are n(jt averse to using what vocal talent 

 they have, at any time. In view of these 

 iacts, if they have sufficient room, and am- 

 [)le natural surroundings, we see no reason 

 why these Sparrows should not breed in 

 confinement. It is a fact that birds which 

 ai-e naturally not sliy of man, will general- 

 ly breed in confinement if pro})erly cared 

 tor ; and undei- oi-dinary circumstances the 

 Tree Sparrow woidd probably prove no 

 exception. 



Whether this species breeds within the 

 boundaries of the United States or not, is 

 a question open to some dispute ; but it 

 may, like many other boreal species, nest 

 in the mountainous portions of the North- 

 ern States. The Adirondacks of New York 

 and the i-ugged portions of Vermont, New 

 Hampshire and Maine, possess many fea- 

 tures of the more northern country, and 

 this bird may be found to be a resident of 

 those localities. The nest has been found 

 in various parts of the North, and is said 

 to be placed upon the ground, or a few 

 inches above it. The materials are grass- 

 es and rootlets, intermixed with pieces of 



