568 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



to the IStli. Mr. Allen met with it from May 7 to June 6, in 1861, when 

 these birds were more common than usual. At this period, farther west, in 

 Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and New York, these birds ai-e very abundant. 

 From April 10 to the latter portion of May, in 1852, they were abundant in 

 the neighborhood of Washington, the Capitol grounds being full of them. 

 They were familiar and fearless, and seemed to delight to search for food 

 under the large Norway spruces, branching down to the ground. Their 

 abundance that spring may have been exceptional, as Wilson appears to have 

 met with but very few specimens. 



Mr. Audubon found these Sparrows very abundant in Labrador, where 

 they were apparently late in breeding. It was not until the 6th of July that 

 he found one of their nests. This was placed among the moss at the foot of 

 a low fir. It was made externally of dry hypnum mosses, matted in bunches 

 like the coarse hair of some quadruped, and internally of fine dry grasses, 

 arranged with great neatness, to the thickness of half an inch, with a full 

 lining of the delicate yellow fibrous roots of the Coptis trifolia. The nest 

 was five inches in its external diameter, and two in depth, the cavity two and 

 a quarter wide and one and three quarters deep. The eggs, five in number, 

 he describes as of a light sea-green color, mottled towards the larger end 

 with brownish spots and blotches, a few spots of a lighter tint being dis- 

 persed over the whole. All the nests found were placed on the ground or 

 among the moss, and all were alike in their construction. By the beginning 

 of August the party met with young that were able to fly. r>y the middle 

 of that month they had commenced their southern migrations. 



Dr. Coues also found this Sparrow breeding in great numbers along the 

 entire coast of Labrador. Found in all situations, it seemed to be particu- 

 larly fond of deep, thickly wooded, and secluded ravines, surrounded Ijy high 

 precipitous cliffs, and, when in more open districts, confining itself to tan- 

 gled patches of juniper and scrubby firs. He describes it as a very active 

 and sprightly bird, almost continually in motion. It seldom alights without 

 rapidly jerking and flirting its tail, and uttering its loud chirpings. While 

 tlie female is incubating, the male usually mounts to the top of the cliff or a 

 neighboring tree, and repeats his loud and not unpleasing, tliough somewhat 

 monotonous, notes for the space of half an hour or more. He describes its 

 song as very similar to that of the White-throated Sparrow, consisting of 

 two long-drawn syllables witli a rising intonation, then three more in a quick, 

 hurried manner, ^\•ith a falling cadence, — p)ee-dee-de-de-de ; the whole is 

 delivered in a mellow whistle. If approached while thus engaged, the per- 

 former becomes instantly silent, and dives hastily into the nearest cover. 

 Tlie nest was always placed on the ground, and usually in little patches of 

 low heath, abundant wherever the ground was dry. He found a nest on the 

 23d of July, containing young just hatched. The female flutters off in 

 silence when her nest is disturbed, but the male bird vociferates his angry 

 remonstrance, flirting his tail and jerking his body in an energetic manner. 



