2l8 Widmann, Winter Home for Birds in Missouri. LJuly 



At the other side, on the higher levels, where corn and cotton 

 fields occupy a part of the ground, the immense flocks of Juncos 

 {Junco hyemalis) join those of the Peabody-birds, and they in turn 

 are often flanked by jolly troops of Tree Sparrows (Spizella monti- 

 cola) and Goldfinches (Spinus tristis). 



The numerous Pipilos (Pipi/o erythrophthalmus) associate with 

 the Fox Sparrows and Peabody-birds in the woods, but the Cardi- 

 nals {Cardinalis cardinalis) keep company to all; they are in the 

 deep woods along the sloughs, as well as in the openings along the 

 fences. Their loud song is familiar to all ; it wakes the sleepers 

 at the earliest dawn and falls unexpectedly upon the ear in seem- 

 ingly deserted regions. 



The Song and Swamp Sparrows {Melospiza fasciata and M. 

 georgiana) do not form flocks by themselves, but are scattered in 

 small parties and help to swell the throng of kindred souls. 



It is a blessed region where we can listen to the sweet notes of 

 all these songsters in deepest winter, in rain, in sleet and snow ; 

 and the dreaded, season has lost its terrors of loneliness and deso- 

 lation, where such true friends of song and happy companionship 

 have made their winter home. 



Though the Sparrow family forms the gross of the camping 

 army in the woods, we are every now and then reminded of the 

 fact that we are in a country, with a climate which the Thrasher 

 {Harporhy7ichtis rufus) finds not too cold to endure winter's long- 

 est nights and on food rich enough to find a sufficiency in its 

 shortest days. Although he does his best to elude the gaze of 

 the intruder, his conspicuous size does not admit of much success 

 in this endeavor, and we must class him among the best known 

 birds of the region at this season. Happy he who gets a chance 

 to hear the great composer tune his latest thoughts at half-voice 

 in the bushes ; his Easter cantata is not ready yet, but long 

 before spring has come to northern climes the Peninsula Thrasher 

 will mount his favorite perch and proclaim in his exquisitely melo- 

 dious way that within himself the hope for an early resurrection 

 of love's sweet season is growing with each day. 



A unique sight met my eye on Jan. 15 : a Thrasher with a 

 pure white nape, an area about one and a half inches wide, but 

 running to a point on the side of the neck, almost encircling it. 



