322 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



tinuous with the Hudsonian zone. It spends the winter in eastern United 

 States from southern New York and Illinois to the gulf coast. In New 

 York this species is a fairly common transient visitant in all portions of 

 the State, arriving from the south late in March and passing on to its 

 northern home from April 25 to May 12, the height of the spring migration 

 usually occurring about the middle of April. In the fall it appears again 

 late in September and the fall migration is mostly completed by the 25th 

 of October. In the southern portion of the State, however, especially 

 on Long Island, a considerable number of this species remain throughout 

 the winter so that in those localities it is to be rated a fairly common winter 

 visitant and common migrant. I fail to find any evidence that this species 

 remains in the coldest portion of the Adirondacks to breed, although I 

 believe that it has been found to breed in northeastern Maine. 



Haunts and habits. This sparrow is always regarded as an interesting 

 species by the amateur bird student. Its large size and bright colors, 

 for a sparrow, spritely habits and beautiful song, especially at the season 

 when migrants are few, tend to make it a favorite with all nature lovers. 

 It feeds mostly on the ground like the Junco and Song sparrow, usually 

 keeping nearer the cover of shrubbery, however, than those species, fre- 

 quently rustling and scratching the leaves with considerable vigor while 

 searching for its food of seeds and insect larvae. Even as early as the 

 third week in March his cheery song may be heard, particularly on cool, 

 bright mornings, but sometimes throughout the day. It consists of a 

 clear, loud, melodious whistle. This song is usually delivered while the 

 bird is perched on the limb of a tree from 10 to 40 feet from the ground. 

 Sometimes it remains quietly perched for half an hour singing at intervals 

 of a few seconds throughout the morning. Mr Thayer has called attention 

 to this sparrow's habit of singing in an undertone, sometimes for half 

 an hour at a time, as if the bird were expressing day dreams of his summer 

 home. 



