242 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



places its nest at the top of a medium sized balsam, or other conifer, or 

 among the thick vines, or where small shoots project from the sides of a 

 small sized deciduous tree. 



With the exception that the nest and eggs are both larger, they closely 

 resemble those of the chipping sparrow. If the first clutch is taken the 

 female lays again, otherwise she raises but one brood in a season. 



When not much disturbed she prefers to nest in the vicinity of human 

 dwellings, rather than in the wilder woods, and at no time does it pene- 

 -trate far into the pathless forest. When the nesting period is over, this 

 species generally associate in small flocks, and in the spring season these 

 do much damage to the fruit trees by picking the blossoms and buds. 

 The male in the spring is a handsome bird with his rosy red plumage and 

 clouded brown back. The more plainly colored female is altogether of a 

 duller hue than the male, and in general appearance might be taken for a 

 female English sparrow. '^^- ^- kells. 



AUTUMN BIRD GOSSIP. 



'1 hear the cry 



Of their voices high, 



Falling dreamily through the sky.' 



—Longfellow. 



There is a decided pleasure that savors not at all of spring time enthus- 

 iasm, in observing the autumn and winter migrants. A quiet content 

 seems to permeate their life and movements that tends to impress one 

 with the similarity between their characteristics and emotions, and our 

 own. They, like us, seem imbued with a consciousness of the sadness of 

 the season that precedes the bitter days of ice and snow. The enthus- 

 iasm of love and courtship has passed away, and the content of accom- 

 plishment is upon them, the peace of the aftermath as it were. Their gre- 

 gariousness is a strong evidence of their freedom from the individual inter- 

 ests that so absorbs them during the season of parental cares, and now 

 they are willing to quietly enjoy the rest and pleasure of friendly associa- 

 tion with their kind. 



Only the other day 1 met a flock of migrants consorting as merrily as a 

 party of human pleasure seekers out for a holiday. There were white- 

 throated and white-crowned sparrows, and by the way, there is no more 

 stylish, dapper young dandy in bird society than your white-crowned 

 sparrow, whose every movement betokens a supercilious vanity quite in 

 keeping with his human prototype, Juncos in abundance were with the 

 party and also a few groundsels — a gold fmch or two — and I heard though 

 1 did not see, a bluebird "with a bit of blue sky for a back," but there 



