334 SINGING BIRDS. 



Nest. In a pasture, orchard, or garden, placed in a bush or low tree ; 

 composed of grass, — sometimes mixed with roots, — thickly lined with 

 horse-hair. 



Eggs. 4-5; bluish green, spotted, chiefly about the larger end, with 

 brown, black, and lilac; 0.70 X 0-50. 



This species, with the Song Sparrow, is probably the most 

 numerous, common, and famihar bird in the United States, 

 inhabiting from Nova Scotia to Florida, westward to the banks 

 of the Missouri, and Mr. Townsend found it to be a common 

 species in the Territory of Oregon. Aware of the many para- 

 sitic enemies of the feathered race which it has to encounter, 

 who prowl incessantly, and particularly in quest of its eggs, it 

 approaches almost instinctively the precincts of houses, barns, 

 and stables, and frequently ventures into the centre of the 

 noisy and bustling city, to seek in the cultivated court an 

 asylum for its expected progeny. Soon sensible of favor or 

 immunity, it often occupies with its nest the thick shrubs of 

 the garden within a few yards of the neighboring habitation, 

 by the side perhaps of a frequented walk, in the low rose-bush, 

 the lilac, or any other familiar plant affording any degree of 

 shelter or security, and will at times regularly visit the thresh- 

 old, the piazza, or farm-yard for the crumbs which intention 

 or accident may afford it. On other occasions the orchard 

 trees are chosen for its habitation, or in the lonely woods an 

 evergreen, cedar, or fir is selected for the purpose. It makes 

 no pretensions to song, but merely chips in complaint when 

 molested, or mounting the low boughs of some orchard tree or 

 shrub, utters a quickly articulated ascending 'tsh 'tsh Ush ^tsh 

 Ush tshe tshe, almost like the jingling of farthings, and a little 

 resembling the faint warble of the Canary, but without any of 

 its variety or loudness. This note, such as it is, is continued 

 often for half an hour at a time, but is little louder than the 

 chirping of a cricket, and uttered by the male while attending 

 his brooding mate. For many weeks through the summer and 

 during fine weather this note is often given from time to time 

 in the night, like the revery of a dream. 



The nest of the Chipping Bird varies sometimes consider- 

 ably in its materials and composition. The external layer, 



