4 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



makes a short halt, proceedin;^ farther north to breed. BischoU' obtained a 



si)e('inien at Sitka. Mr. Kennicott found its nest and eg,y;s on the Yukon, 



and Mr. Dall obtained it at Xulato, and more sparingly below that point. 



^Ir. MaeFarlane met with it breeding in large numl>er.s at Fort Anderson. 



I ' The nest.s were in various situations, the larger proportion on the ground, a 



; \ few in bushes near the ground, and onlv one is mentioned as having been 



I several feet above it. One was in the cleft of a low willow on the edge of 



M a small lake ; another, in a bush, was nearly four feet from the ground ; and 



a third was in a clump of willows and fourteen inches above the giound. 

 . Xearly all the other nests mentioned were built directly upon the ground. 



The nests were constructed of dry bark and grasses, loosely put together, 

 and very warndy lined with feathers, ^n the ground they were usually 

 concealed in a tuft of grass. In all ins., es the female alone M'as found 

 on the nests, the male being very rarely seen in their vicinity. The usual 

 number of eggs in a nest was four or five, occasionally six, and even seven. 



Dr. Suckley obtained a single specimen at Fort Dalles, and Dr. Cooper 

 saw a flock in September, 1863, and again in 1864 at the mouth of the 

 Columbia. Lieutenant Bryan met with them among the Rocky Mountains 

 in latitude 39°, in August. ^Ir. liidgway found them very common during 

 the winter in the interior. 



Dr. Coues found this Sparrow common in all tlie wooded districts of Lab- 

 rador. It was very tame and unsuspicious, showing no fear even when closely 

 approached. I have never met with any, in summer, in any part of Xew 

 Brunswick or Nova Scotia. 



This Sparrow is occasionally abundant in ^lassachusetts early in October, 

 but rarely appears in full nund^ers until November. Some remain in the 

 gardens in and about Boston during the winter, and during November the 

 marshes of Fresh Pond are filled with them, when their wailing autumnal 

 chant is in marked contrast with tlie sweet and sprightly song with which 

 they enliven the spring, just before they are abont to depart for their sum- 

 mer homes. They remain until the latter part of April, and Mr. Allen has 

 observed them at Springfield till about the first of ^lay. 



In regard to their song, Mr. "William Brewster informs me that they usu- 

 ally connnence singing about the 2r)th of ^larch. Their song is a loud, clear, 

 and powerful chant, starting with two higli notes, then falling rapidly, and 

 ending with a low, sweet warble. He has heard a few singing with their 

 full vigor in November and December, but this is rare. 



Dr. Coues found them not common in South Carolina, but Dr. Kennerly 

 states that they were quite alnindant in Decend:>er on the Little Colorado, in 

 New Mexico, feeding on the fruit of the wild grape and ujwn seeds. 



During the love-season the Tree Sparrow is quite a fine musician, its 

 song resembling that of the Canary, but finer, sweeter, and not so loud. In 

 their migrations, Mr. Audubon states, a flock of twenty or more will perch 

 upon the same tree, and join in a delightful chorus. Their flight is elevated 



':1 



