FIELD SPARROW. 337 



slow, and going up and down, shrill and quick, with a reverbe- 

 rating tone almost as rapid as the drumming of the Ruffed 

 Grouse. At other times the sound appears like te de de de de 

 d" d' d' d' d' d' dr\ rapid and echoing ; then weei weet weed 

 wat te '</ '</ \i ^d ^d V, also weet weet weet weef wf wf wf 

 wf trr ; the whole of these notes rising and running together 

 into a short trill something like the song of the Canary, but 

 less varied, and usually in a querulous or somewhat plaintive 

 tone, though towards the close of summer I have heard indi- 

 viduals nearly as musical and warbluig as the common Yellow 

 Bird. These tones are also somewhat similar to the reverbera- 

 tions of the Chipping Bird, but quite loud and sonorous, and 

 without the changeless monotony of that species. In fact, our 

 bird would be worthy a place in a cage as a songster of some 

 merit. Like most of the Sparrows, the food of this species 

 consists of seeds and insects ; and they also search the leaves 

 and branches at times in quest of moths, of which they appear 

 fond. 



The Field Sparrow is a common summer resident of southern 

 New England, but is rather rare north of Massachusetts. It has 

 not been taken in the Maritime Provinces, though Mr. Neilson 

 thinks it not uncommon near the city of Quebec, and it is common 

 throughout Ontario and in Manitoba. It breeds southward to 

 South Carolina and winters from the Southern States southward. 



Note. — A few examples of the Clay-colored Sparrow 

 {Spizella pallida) wander every year from their usual habitat on 

 the Great Plains to Iowa and Illinois. 



VOL. I. 



