30 Bird-Land Echoes. 



must determine for himself; and let those remain in 

 ignorance who will not go to the birds, for no book 

 about birds or bird-music can be more than a finger- 

 post pointing out the way. If any are satisfied with 

 such meagre details they are, to put it mildly, much 

 to be pitied. 



The swamp-sparrow usually has a little territory 

 quite to itself, so far as other sparrows are concerned. 

 A single pair will settle in some cozy spot and go the 

 daily rounds of tree, bush, and weedy wilderness of 

 the marsh, and have birds of far different kinds 

 wherewith to associate. There will likely be marsh- 

 wrens and red-winged blackbirds for a time, and the 

 noisy king-rail and sly least bittern and transient 

 visitors from the uplands, but the sparrows will keep 

 their distance unless a drought upsets all nature's 

 plans and drives every creature that can travel so far 

 to where there is yet some moisture. At such a time 

 the swamp-sparrow is lost in a crowd and doubtless 

 ill at ease. But we need not consider abnormal con- 

 ditions. Our bird is at its best from April to No- 

 vember, and then those who are interested had 

 better seek its acquaintance. Perhaps when the nest 

 is finished — a simple structure placed upon the 

 ground — and the eggs are laid the bird is more full of 

 vim and music than before or later. At this time there 

 are noticed a strength and volume of sound in the 

 simple song that make the listener doubtful for the 

 moment if the bird singing is really the swamp- 

 sparrow. Later in the summer this ecstatic effort is 

 less seldom heard, even when a late brood is raised, — 



