FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 575 



Female smaller, and tlie colors ratlier duller. Immature and winter 

 specimens have the white chin-patch less abruptly defined, the white 

 markings on the top and sides of the head tinged with brown. Some 

 specimens, apparently mature, show quite distinct streaks on the breast and 

 sides of throat and body. 



Habits. The White-throated Sparrow is, at certain seasons, an abundant 

 bird in all parts of North America, from the Great Plains to the Atlantic, 

 and from Georgia to the extreme Arctic regions. A few breed in favorable 

 situations in jMassachusetts, especially in the extreme northwestern part of 

 the State. It breeds abundantly in Vermont, Xew Hampshire, and Maine, 

 and in all the British Provinces. 



Sir John Pichardson states that they reach the Saskatchewan in the mid- 

 dle of ]May, and spread throughout the fur countries, as far, at least, as the 

 66th parallel, to breed. He states that he saw a female sitting on seven 

 eggs near the Cumberland House, as early as June 4. The nest was placed 

 under a fallen tree, was made of grass, lined with deer's hair and a few 

 featliers. Another, found at Great Bear's Lake, was lined with the sdm of 

 the Bryum nliginosum. He describes the eggs as of a pale mountain-green,-^ 

 thickly marbled with reddish-brown. When the female was disturbed, she 

 ran silently off in a crouching manner, like a Lark. He describes the note 

 of this bird as a clear song of two or three notes, uttered very distinctly, but 

 without variety, — a very incomplete description. 



Mr. Kennicott states that this species does not extend its migrations as 

 far to the north as Z. (jarnheli, and is even much less numerous on the south 

 shores of the Slave Lake, where he did not observe half so many of this as 

 of the other. Jt also nests later, as he found the first nest observed on the 

 22d of June, with the eggs quite fresh, incubation not having commenced, 

 and found others after that date. On English Eiver he found two nests with 

 eggs on the 9th and 17th of July, and one near the Cumberland House on 

 the 30th of June. Two of these were in low swampy ground among large 

 trees, the other on high ground among small bushes. They were constructed 

 on large bases of moss, and lined with soft grasses. When startled from 

 her nest, the female always crept silently away through the grass. 



He met with this species in considerable flocks, accompanied by small 

 numbers of Z. Icucojihrys, on the north shore of Lake Superior, on the 11th of 

 May. He saw individuals on the 29th of May, near the Lake of the Woods, 

 and it douljtless breeds as I'ar south as that region. In the fall it was not 

 seen at Fort Simpson later than the last of September. As it is a much 

 more eastern bird than Z. gamhcli, it is probably in greater al)undance on the 

 eastern end of Slave Lake. Its song he regards as by no means so attractive 

 as tliat of Z. gamhe/i or of Z. kucophrys. Its general habits are very much 

 like those of the former, and though by no means a strictly terrestrial bird, 

 it rarely perches high on trees, and generally flies near the ground, except 

 in its long migratory flights. 



