224 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 
They frequent, while here, the woods, roadsides, stubble-fields, 
etc., for the most part in small flocks, and often accompanied 
by sparrows. ‘They are so tame as fearlessly to approach our 
houses and barns in the country, and they may be attracted 
to piazzas, particularly those with shrubbery near, by the scat- 
tering of cracked-wheat or oats. In spite of their familiarity, 
they are easily startled, and fly immediately, at the presence 
of real or imaginary danger, to trees or shrubbery. They hop 
quite nimbly on the ground, and while so doing constantly 
open and shut their tails with rapidity. They occasionally 
scratch like the Fox-colored Sparrows, or by a quick backward 
motion toss up the snow. I have seen them make passage- 
ways in this manner to reach the wheat placed for them on a 
stand, and such long ones that they disappeared in the re- 
cesses. They are quarrelsome, and in them we may see feebly 
reflected many of the human passions. They have, I believe, 
a topographical instinct, as is indicated by the prompt collec- 
tion of apparently the same individuals on the above-men- » 
tioned stand, after the first fall of snow, at the beginning of 
two or three successive winters. They follow quite strictly, 
except in autumn and spring, the snow-line, often rather disap- 
pearing from Boston during the heavy thaws, and returning 
just before or with the storms. They are said to be common 
about Plymouth, New Hampshire, during the warm ‘‘ spells,” 
though absent in cold weather. In March and April they be- 
come rather shy, and are much among trees, such as the pines, 
from the branches of which they utter a great variety of musi- 
cal notes. As soon as the milder weather comes, they migrate 
to the northward, and they are often scarce here in spring. 
They are sometimes affected by a faintness or dizziness, 
which may apparently cause death, as I have several times 
found them lying dead, without a feather ruffled, or without a 
perceptible wound, and yet food was abundant at the time. 
Once, in walking through the woods, my attention was attracted 
by the sound of some object falling, and, upon turning, I saw 
upon the ground a Snow-bird lying on his back. When I 
gently picked him up, he fluttered away to a branch, from 
