THE SNOW-BIRD. 245 



ther, always taking to the trees when disturbed. As the 

 weather sets in colder, they approach nearer the farm- 

 house and villages ; and, on the appearance of what is 

 usually called falling weather, assemble in larger flocks, 

 and seem doubly diligent in searching for food. This in- 

 creased activity is generally a sure prognostic of a storm. 

 When deep snow covers the ground, they become almost 

 half domesticated. They collect about the barn, stables, 

 and other out-houses, spread over the yard, and even 

 round the steps of the door ; not only in the country and 

 villages, but in the heart of our large cities ; crowding 

 around the threshold early in the morning, gleaning up the 

 crumbs ; appearing very lively and familiar. They have 

 also recourse, at this severe season, when the face of the 

 earth is shut up from them, to the seeds of many kinds of 

 weeds, that still rise above the snow, in corners of fields, 

 and low sheltered situations, along the borders of creeks 

 and fences, where they associate with several species of 

 Sparrows. They are at this time easil v caught with almost 

 iny kind of traps ; are generally fat, and it is said, are 

 excellent eating. 



A distinguished traveller says, " I cannot but consider 

 this bird as the most numerous of its tribe of any within 

 the United States. From the northern parts of the district 

 of Maine to the Ogechee river in Georgia, a distance, by 

 the circuitous route in which I travelled, of more than 1800 

 miles, I never passed a day, and scarcely a mile, without 

 seeing numbers of these birds, and frequently large flocks 

 of several thousands. Other travellers, with whom I con- 

 versed, who had come from Lexington in Kentucky, 

 through Virginia, also declared that they found these birds 

 numerous along the whole road. It should be observed, 

 that the road sides are their favorite haunts, where many 

 rank weeds that grow along the fences furnish them with 

 food, and the road with gravel. In the vicinity of places 

 where they were most numerous, I observed the small 





