Birds of Canada. 59 



south about the middle of May, and returns 

 from the north, where it breeds, in October. 

 The song of the White-crowned Sparrow is 

 clear, musical, and plaintive. This bird is over 

 seven inches long, the wing three and a-quarter 

 inches ; the head above the upper half of the 

 loral region, and a line through and behind the 

 eye to the occiput, black ; a patch upon the 

 crown, white ; general color, pale ash above, 

 and white beneath. Feeds on insects, seeds, 

 and berries. 



Z. albicoltis. The White-throated Sparrow. 



The \Vhite-throated Sparrow is seven inches 

 long ; the crown with two black stripes, sepa- 

 rated by one of white ; a broad yellow stripe to 

 the middle of the eye, and white behind it ; 

 upper part of breast, dark ash ; edge of wing, 

 yellow ; the back, rufous-brown ; the belly, and 

 two bands across the wings, white. This beau- 

 tiful sparrow arrives in Ontario about the first 

 of May. Its song is indescribably sweet and 

 musical. I have frequently heard it at night, 

 when passing through the woods. Its food con- 

 sists of seeds, berries, and insects. They collect 

 in small flocks about the middle of October, 

 and leave for the south. Nests, on the ground ; 

 eggs, four, grayish-white. 



