274 FRINGILLID^ : FINCHES. 



suitable places throughout the three northern New 

 England States. It is chiefly a ground-builder, though 

 in exceptional cases the nest is placed in bushes, or 

 among the branches of fallen trees ; the location 

 chosen being usually a swamp, or low ground near 

 one. The nest is not characteristic — ground nests 

 seldom are ; but is to be distinguished by its size, if 

 anything, from those of some of its allies. The eggs, 

 numbering four or five, and measuring about 0.90 X 

 0.66, resemble those of Song Sparrows, except in size, 

 and have the endless diversity of tone and pattern 

 of markings observable in the latter. Some are quite 

 pale greenish and scarcely speckled with light reddish- 

 brown, while in the other extreme the dull grayish 

 ground is almost hidden by the thick flecking and 

 even cloudincr of chocolate-brown. The second week 

 in June is probably the height of the laying season. 



During most of the spring and fall, that is, for 

 nearly two months of each of these seasons, the 

 White-throats are migrating, and very generally dis- 

 persed. They usually appear in spring early in April, 

 and have not settled in their breeding-grounds until 

 May is nearly passed. Returning the middle of Sep- 

 tember, they linger more leisurely than in spring, 

 through part or all of November, — and we have the 

 authority of Mr. Grinnell for the statement that some 

 remain all winter in Connecticut. The ordinary note 

 is not remarkable, but the song is very agreeable — 

 a series of clear whistles which have been likened to 

 the words " pea-peabody, peabody, peabody," and have 

 given to the bird one of its locaTappellations. 



