TOWHEE OR CHEWINK. 
587. Pipilo erythrophthalmus. 8 inches. 
A bird of swamps, brushy pastures and open wood- 
jands. They are ground birds and usually found 
scratching among the leaves; the male, with his black, 
white and brown clothes, makes a conspicuous object, 
while the female, with her brown and white dress, 
harmonizes with the leaves so that it is difficult to 
see her. While his mate is sitting on her nest, the 
male will frequently sit in a tree top and persistently 
sing for many minutes at a time. 
Song.—Loud and clear, “tow-hee-e-e” or “see-tow- 
hee-e-e,” with the last notes tremulous; call, a sharp 
“cherink.” 
Nest.—Usually on the ground, but rarely in bushes; 
of strips of bark, grass and leaves; eggs white with 
reddish-brown dots over the whole surface (.90 x .70). 
Range.—Eastern N. A., breeding from the Gulf 
States to southern Canada; winters in southern U. 8. 
Sub-species.—587a. White-eyed Towhee (alleni) has 
white eyes instead of red and less white on the tail; 
found on the South Atlantic coast. 
