2(14 



NORTH AMKKK'AN UVWDi^. 



ScolfCo/ihu^us /irrus;nuus. 



laiitic to tlic Missiiiiri lHvi*r, and from Louisiana and Florida to tlio Arctic 

 rcj^inns. In a lai-^c jMntion of llie rnitcd States it is <»nly known u.s a 

 nii^iratdrv siiecics, ]»as.>in_L; rapidly throu^di in early spiinL;. and hardly 

 niakin- a Ioniser stay in the tail, llicliardsnn slates that the summer 



rauLje of this l»ir.' extends to the 

 OSth parallel, or as far a.s the »vood.s 

 extend. It arrives at the Saskatch- 

 ewan in tiie end ot" Aj>ril, and at 

 (Ireat liear Ldxc, latitude r».V, by 

 th«' Md ot" ]May. Tiiey c(»nie in ])airs, 

 and tor a time l"re<[Uent the sandy 

 beaches of secluded lakes, feedinj^ 

 on coleopterous insects. Later in 

 the season they are said to make 

 depredations upon the t^nain-tiehls. 



They pass throuuh Massachusetts 

 from the Sth of March to the first of 

 April, in irregular com] sanies, none of 

 which make any stay, hut move hur- 

 riedly on. Tiiev heuin to return early in October, and are found irregularly 

 throughout that month. They are unsuspicious and easily a}»proached, and 

 freiiuent the streams and ed^es of jionds durinir tlieir stay. 



!Mr. iJoardman states that these birds are common near Calais, Me., arriving 

 there in March, some remaining to breed. In Western Massachusetts, ac- 

 cording^ to ^Ir. AlU'ii lIicv are rather rare, being seen oidy occasionally in 

 spring and fall as str«^;glers, or in small tlocks. Mr. Allen gives as their 

 arrival the last of Se]>teml>er, and has seen them as late as Xovember 24. 

 They als(j weie abundant in Xova Scotia. Dr. Coues states that in South 

 Carolina they winter Irom Xovember until March. 



These birds are said to sing during ]»airing-time, and become nearly silent 

 while rearing' their vouni,% but in the fall resume their sonL(. Xuttall has 

 Iieard them siiig until the a]>])roacli of winter, llv, thinks their notes are 

 (piite agreeable and musical, and much more melodious than those of the 

 other species. 



J)urin'' their stay in the vicinity of Boston, they assemble in large nnm- 

 bers, to roost in the reed marshes on the edges of ])onds, and especially in 

 those of Fresh Pond, Cambridge. They fer'd during the day chietly on grass- 

 hot>])ers and berries, and rarely molest the grain. 



According to Wilson, they reach Tennsylvania early in October, and at 

 this ]ieriod make Indian C(jrn their principal food. They leave al)ont the 

 middle of Xoyend)er. In South Carolina he found them numerous around 

 the rice jdantations, feeding about the hog-i>ens and wherever they could 

 procure corn. They are easily domesticated, becoming very familiar in a few 

 days, and readily reconciled to confinement. 



