232 LAND-BIRDS. 



ence of real or imaginary danger, to trees or shrubbery. They 

 hop quite nimbly on the ground, and while there constantly 

 open and shut their tails with rapidity. They occasionally 

 scratch like the Fox-colored Sparrows, or by a quick backward 

 motion toss up the snow. I have seen them make passage- 

 ways in this manner to reach the wheat placed for them on a 

 stand, and such long ones that they disappeared in the re- 

 cesses. They are quarrelsome, and in them we may see feebly 

 reflected many of the human passions. They have, I believe, 

 a topographical instinct, as is indicated by the prompt collec- 

 tion of apparently the same individuals on the above-men- 

 tioned stand, after the first fall of snow, at the beginning of 

 two or three successive winters. They follow quite strictly, 

 except in autumn and spring, the snow-line, often rather dis- 

 appearing from Boston during the heavy thaws, and returning 

 just before or with the storms. They are said to be common 

 about Plymouth, New Hampshire, during the warm " spells," 

 though absent in cold weather. In March and April they be- 

 come rather shy, and are much among trees, such as the pines, 

 from the branches of which they utter a great variety of musi- 

 cal notes. As soon as the milder weather comes, they migrate 

 to the northward, and they are often scarce here in spring. 



They are sometimes affected by a faintness or dizziness, 

 which may apparently cause death, as I have several times 

 found them lying dead, without a feather ruffled, or without a 

 perceptible wound, with food abundant at the time. Once, 

 in walking through the woods, my attention was attracted by 

 the sound of some object falling, and, upon turning, I saw 

 upon the ground a Snow-bird lying on his back. When I 

 gently picked him up, he fluttered away to a branch, from 

 which he soon afterwards reeled and again fell. After a 

 brief chase, during which he flew feebly, usually alighting on 

 the ground, I captured him again. On being taken to my 

 room, he was for some while listless, but afterwards picked 

 up a few of the grains spread for him on the floor, though 

 he refused water. He soon began to fly about the room, 

 most often against the window-panes, and was finally allowed 

 to escape, when he perched in a bush, where half an hour 



