322 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



begins building its nest. It is most diligent in the discharge of its 

 varied domestic duties during the summer, and when the young are 

 able to shift for themselves, old and young get together in flocks,. 

 and about the end of October all move off to the south. 



SPIZELLA PUSILLA (Wils.), 

 232. Field Sparrow. (56.3) 



Bill, pale reddish ; feet, very pale ; crown, diiU chestnut : no decided 

 black or whitish about head ; below, white, unmarked, but much washed 

 with pale brown on breast and sides ; sides of head and neck, with some 

 ague brown markings ; all the ashy parts of ■•iocialis replaced by pale 

 brownish ; back, bright bay, with black streaks and some pale flaxen edgings ; 

 inner secondaries, similarly variegated ; tips of median and greater coverts 

 forming decided whitish cross-bars. Size of ■socia/i'^, but more nearly the coloi-s. 

 of monticola. Young : — For a short time, streaked lielow as in socialin. 



Hab. — Eastern United States and Southern Canada, west to the Plains. 



Nest, on the ground, oi' near it, in a low bush, composed of grass anil 

 rootlets, lined with fine grass and hair. 



Eggs, four or five, greenish-white, variously marked with reddish-brown. 



The Field Sparrow is sparingly distributed in suitable places in 

 Southern Ontario, which probably forms its northern limit. It 

 arrives from the south during the first week in May, and soon makes 

 its presence known by its pleasing ditty, which proceeds from the 

 top of a low tree or bush in the pasture field. It resembles the 

 Chipper in size, but is more like the Tree Sparrow in coloring. The 

 cinnamon-tinted bill is always a ready mark by which to distinguish 

 it from any other of the small sparrows. 



It raises two broods in the season and retires to the south in 

 September. 



Genus JUNCO Wagler. 

 JUNCO HYEMALIS (Linn.). 



233. Slate-colored Junco. (567) 



Blackish-ash ; below, abruptly pure white from the breast ; two to three 

 outer tail feathers, white ; bill, flesh colored. In the female, and in fact in 

 most fall and winter specimens, the upper parts have a more grayish, or even 

 a decidedly brownish cast, and the inner quills are edged with pale bay. 

 Length, 6-6^ ; wing and tail, aV)out 3. 



