324 SINGING BIRDS. 



ance. When not attached to the garden, our Sparrow seems 

 fond of frequenting low bushy meadows, streams, swamps, and 

 watery situations, which afford him ready shelter, and his usual 

 food of worms, insects, larvae, and seeds. Such situations are 

 also their favorite resorts when, in gregarious and miscellaneous 

 flocks with other congeneric kinds, they are seen to crowd the 

 sheltered marshes of the Southern States. They are also com- 

 monly seen nimbly running along the ground, and gliding 

 through low thickets in quest of their insect fare ; and in fine 

 weather they dust themselves, and bask in the sun. They often 

 likewise frequent the water, being fond of washing ; and some- 

 times are seen to swim across small streams, particularly when 

 disabled from flying by a gunshot wound. 



The nest is usually formed of a considerable portion of fine 

 dry grass neatly put together, and mostly lined with horse-hair. 

 These birds are very prolific, raising as many as three broods 

 in a season, the young being occasionally hatched, in the Mid- 

 dle States, from the close of April to the end of August. They 

 are very solicitous for the safety of their young, keeping up at 

 this time often a tiresome chirping ; and on the destruction of 

 the female and most of her young, I have known the remain- 

 ing male, with unceasing and anxious attention, raise a solitary 

 survivor of his ruined family with the most devoted affection. 

 As they keep the young and their habitation so very clean, and 

 are so prolific, it is a matter of surprise that they do not re- 

 occupy the premises ; instances are, however, not wanting in 

 which they have been known to raise two broods in the same 

 nest. Both parents join in the duty of incubation, and alter- 

 nately feed each other while so engaged. 



This species nests from South Carolina to Lake Mistassini, and 

 from central Ohio and northern IlHnois to Lake Winnipeg. It 

 arrives at St. John, N. B., during the second week in April in im- 

 mense flocks, and is usually accompanied by similar flocks of 

 Robins and Juncos. Occasionally a few winter in the Maritime 

 Provinces and in Quebec, while in eastern Massachusetts and Con- 

 necticut they are often quite numerous at that season. 



