62 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



HABITS. 



This little bird which, with the the oaks and gigantic firs. About 

 exception of the yellow throat, is the towns they display considerable 

 almost the exact counterpart of the f.^niiliarity, resorting to the gardens 



eastern Myrtle Warbler, is a very ... • -^.u +u 



/, , , , ,/ and hedges in company with the 

 common bird throughout the north- 

 west. They arrive from their south- sparrows. 



ern quarters early in April, and are In winter they prefer to frequent 



very active, flitting about among willow swamps in search of insects. 



WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 



A.. O. V. J^o. 558. {^onotrichia albicolt'j.) 



R.ANGE. 



Eastern North America from Georgia to Labrador and west to the Great 

 Plains. Breeds from northern United States northwards. Winters from 

 the Middle States southwards. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, 7 inches; extent, 9.5 inches; tail, 3.25 inches. Bill and feet 

 yellowish brown. Eye brown. 



Adult male. — Two black stripes on the crown, separated by a medium 

 one of white. A broad stripe extends from base of bill, over the eye and 

 down sides of the neck. This stripe is white except that part in front of 

 the eye, which is yellow. A black streak on sides of head back of the 

 eye. Back, chestnut streaked with dark brown. Edge of wing yellow. 

 Two narrow white wing bars. Throat white edged with black on sides 

 and ending abruptly against the dark ash of breast and sides of head. 

 Belly white. 



Female and young. — Colors duller and throat gray. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



The White-throated Sparrow breeds abundantly throughout northern 

 New England, New York, and Michigan and eastern Canada. The nest is 

 placed on the ground, rarely iivj^bushes. It is often slightly concealed 

 under a fallen branch or placed under an overhanging stone. It is rather 

 a^ bulky nest composed of grasses and weeds. The eggs are laid earlyi/^in 

 June. They are four or five in number, pale greenish blue, sprinkled and 

 blotched with brown, chestnut and lilac. Distinguished from the common 

 Song Sparrow by the larger size. 



