FltlXr.ILLID.K — THE FINCHES. 575 



Female smaTItT, and the colors rather duller. Immature and winter 

 specimens liave tlie wliite cliin-jKitch less aliniptly defined, the wliite 

 markinjiis on tiie top and sides of the liead tini^ed witli brown. Some 

 specimens, api)arentlv mature, show (|uite distinct streaks on the hreast and 

 sides of throat and hody. 



Habits. The AVliite-throated S])arrow is, at certain seasons, an aVmndant 

 bird in all parts of North America, from tlie (Ireat Plains to the Atlantic, 

 and from Georuia to the extreme Arctic ii'jjfions. A few Ineed in favorable 

 situations in ]\Iassachusetts, especially in the extreme nortliwestern pjirt of 

 the State. It breeds abundantly in Vermont, Xew Hampsliire, and Maine, 

 and in all the British Trovinces. 



Sir John Iiichardstm states that they reach the Saskatchewan in the mid- 

 dle of ]\Iay, and spread throuulmut the fur countries, as far, at least, as the 

 Glith parallel, to lireed. He states that he saw a female sittinjjj on seven 

 eg«,^s near the Cumberland House, as early as June 4. Tlie nest wa^ placed 

 under a fallen tree, was made of gmss, lined with deer's hair and a few 

 feathers. Another, found at Clreat JJear's Lake, was lined with the »dw of 

 the Bn/um vli(jinosuin. He describes the egj^s as of a pale mountain-green, 

 thickly marbled with reddisli-brown. When the female was disturbed, she 

 ran silently off in a crouchini; manner, like a Lark. He describes the note 

 of this bird as a clear song of two or three notes, uttered very distinctly, but 

 without variety, — a very incomplete description. 



Mr. Kennicott states that this species does not extend its migrations as 

 far to the north as Z. goinhtii, and is even nmch less numerous on the south 

 shores of the Slave Lake, where he did not observe half so many of this as 

 of the other. It also nest« later, as he found the first nest observed on the 

 22d of June, with the eggs (piite fresh, incubation not having c(unmenced, 

 and found others after that date. On English IJiver he found two nests with 

 eggs on the 9th and 17th of July, and one near the Cumberland House on 

 the 30tli of June. Two of these were in low swani])y gi-ound among large 

 trees, the other on liigh j: round amono: small bushes. They were constructed 

 on large bases of moss, and lined with soft grasses. When startled from 

 her nest, the female always crept silently away through the grass. 



He met with this species in considemble flocks, accompanied by small 

 numbers oi Z. hi(copJmjs, on the north shore of Mve Superior, on the 11th of 

 May. He saw individuals on the 2'Jth of May, near the Lake of the Woods, 

 and it doubtless breeds as far south as that region. It» the fall it was not 

 seen at Fort Simpson later than the last of September. As it is a much 

 more eastern bird than Z. f/a)nhe/i, it is probably in greater abundance on the 

 eastern end of Slave Lake. Its song he regards as by no means so attmctive 

 as that of Z. (jmnheli or of Z. fntcophrt/s. Its general habits are very naich 

 like those of the former, and though by no means a strictly terrestrial bird, 

 it rarely perches liigh on trees, and generally Hies near the ground, except 

 in its long migratory flights. 



