MELOSPIZA MELODIA: 



499 



(hey occur. These birds arc exceedingly iiuiuisitive and will follow one for a long distance 

 through the bushes. The White-eyed Towhees are also sympathetic for they will gather 

 in largo numbers around a wounded comrade when they hear its cries, evincing the utmost 

 ompassion for its misfortune. Although they possess similar habits to those of the more 

 northern species yet they are not as restless, neither is the ordinary call giA'en as loudly 

 or with as much energy. This note also has a difl'erent sound, like the syllables ^o-ree with 

 a very decided accent on the latter, the first being irequently given so quickly and so low 

 that it is not very noticeable. I have often heard the two species together and could al- 

 vvays distinguish them by this utterance alone. 



Throughout the winter the White-eyed Towhees do not sing, but by the first of Mai-ch 

 the males may be seen on the highest boughs of the small live oaks, pouring forth their 

 song which is lower and sweeter than that of the Red-eye. This outburst of song is the 

 prelude to the breeding season, and soon the birds are busily engaged in constiaicting their 

 domiciles. Althougli I have searched long and carefully for the nest yet, on account of 

 the thickness of the bushes among which they build, never found one. It is quite proba- 

 ble that the females sit closely, as they are very tame, which would also i-ender the nests 

 difficult to find. The first week in April, however, I was foi'tunate enough to capture a 

 newly fledged young in the bushes, near our camp on Indian River. There were quite a 

 number of the little Jo-rees, as the boys call them, about and their parents w'cre extreme- 

 ly annoyed at my presence, scolding me vehemently while they hopped briskly about, jerk- 

 ing their tails over their backs, thus evincing as much anger as is possible for a bird to 

 exhibit. The White-eyed Towhees are often captured and caged by boys who offer them 

 for sale in the cities, but I do not think they sing when in confinement or thrive well. 

 They are oftener taken in the winter than at other seasons for they are constantly resident 

 wherever they occur. 



(lENUS XIV. iMELOSinZA. THE SONG SPAKKOVVS 



(JnN. Cn. Bi/l, iliick, somewhat swollen al. base. U/ipcr mancIMc, but liltk curccd. Win(js, a liltle shorter than t/ie 

 tail which is sliyhtly rovmktl. Sternum, broad, with the coracuids not (piitc c^iual in kni/th to the top of the keel whieh is 

 much shorter than one half the Icnyth of the coracoids. Size, medium. 



Tlio species are all dull in color and are streaked above. Tliey arc lighter below where thej' arc asually spotted or 

 finely streaked. 



MELOSPIZA MELODIA. 



Song Sparrow. 



Mclospiza mchilia Haird, Birds N. A.; 1S58, 477. 



DESCKIPTION. 



Sr Cii. Form, rather robust. Isize, medium. Toni;uc, not very lli'shy, provided with a terminal tuft of hair-like 

 fihci-s. Sternum, a.s givon above. The featbci's of the head are elonijatcd. 



Color. Adult. Ui^jier portion of body, including wings ami tail, reddish-brown, with ttie cento's of the feathei-s of 

 top of head and middle ( f back, tips of sccundarii^s, and inner webs of wings and tail, dark-lirown. Edges (jf the feathei-s 

 of sides of nsck and back, ashy. Metlian and supercilary line's, ear coverts, lores, and ti]w of wing coverts, finning indis- 

 tinct bars, also as!:y. Under parts, white, with nuuxillary linss and triangular spots on the sides, Uanks, under tail coverts, 

 an 1 !)r.;ist, wh;r3 tli^y u^avlly olastJr, dark-brjwn, marginal wit!i raddisli-lirown. Bill, l)lack, yellow at b:\.se of lower 

 man<lible. Feat, brown. 



Youiiy. Similar to the ivlwve, but with the ashy markings overwashcd with dusky. The other markings above are 

 more suUuscil and there is a tinge of yellowLsh-rufuus on the entire under parts, excepting the abdomen. 



