Birds of Pennsylvania. 193 



YoMW^;. —Colors similar to adult but duller, breast and sides more or less streaked 

 ■with dusky. Length about 5.i inches ; extent about 8 inches. 



i/a6.— Eastern United States and southern Canada, west to the plains. 



Common summer resident from April to November, and during mild 

 winters a few of these birds are sometimes found with us. The Field 

 Sparrow as its name signifies is a frequenter of fields; it delights es- 

 pecially to inhabit sandy weed-grown fields or other uncultivated areas 

 where numerous small bushes particularly wild roses are growing. 

 Its somewhat mournful, yet sweet and entertaining song may be heard 

 at all times of the day. The nest is built on the ground or in low 

 bushes, and is composed chiefly of grasses, leaves and hair; eggs, 4 or 

 5 ; white, spotted with reddish brown, measure about .70 by .50 of an 

 inch. In the early spring, fall and winter months, this species feeds 

 mainly on small seeds of various weeds and grasses. In summer the old 

 and young subsist largely on different forms of insect life, such as small 

 beetles,flies, ants, spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, earth worms,and differ- 

 ent larvfe. They also feed on raspberries, blackberries, and other similar 

 soft fruits ; it is not uncommon to see the bill and feathers about the 

 head and neck of this bird more or less discolored by the juices of 

 such fruit. 



Genus JUNCO. Wagler. 

 -567. Junco hyemalis (Linn.)- 



Slate-colored Snowbird. 



Description. {Plate 33 : Figs. 3 and 4, male and female.) 



Everywhere of a grayish or dark ashy-black, deepest an teri orally ; the middle of 

 the breast behind and of the belly, the under tail coverts, and first and second ex- 

 ternal tail feathers, white ; the third tail feather white ; legs light brown ; bill flesh- 

 color, with black tip ; iris brown. In the female and immature birds, taken in the 

 fall and winter, the upper parts are more or less tinged with brownish. Length, 

 :about Gi inches ; extent, about 9| inches. 



Hab.—^OYih. America at large, but chiefly east of the Rocky Mountains, breeding 

 from the higher parts of the Alleghenies and northern ISIew York and northern 

 IJew England northward. South in winter to the Gulf States. 



The Snowbird is found generally throughout this State as a common 

 winter resident from early in October until the latter part of April. It 

 breeds sparingly in some sections of the northern and north-western 

 parts of Pennsylvania. This well-known species can readily be recog- 

 nized by its whitish bill, the dark colored head, neck, back and throat, 

 its white under parts and the white lateral tail feathers, the latter 

 being most conspicuous when the bird is flying. Although these 

 birds are found in all places, they are most plentiful in bushes, along 

 the banks of streams, old weed-grown fields, fence-rows and bushy 

 tracts about the margins of woods. The nest, composed of dried 

 13 Birds. 



