CHAPTER LIII. 



December 24 December 31. 



THE TREE SPARROW. 



Order Passeres. Suborder Oscines. 



Family Fringillidse. Genus Spizella. 



Species Spizella monticola. 



Length 6.00 to 6.50; wing, 2.80 to 3.10; tail, 2.60 to 3.90. 

 Migration North, March 10- April 15; south, Oct. 2O-Nov. 20. 



"Blythe wanderer of the wintry air, 

 Now here, now everywhere, 



Quick drifting to and fro, 

 A cheerful life devoid of care, 

 A shadow on the snow." 



The tree sparrow is a member of the family Fringillidse. 

 There are two species of them, namely, the western tree spar- 

 row, monticola ochracea, the range of which is western North 

 America east to the Plains, and the tree sparrow, Spizella 

 monticola, whose range extends north throughout North 

 America, east of the Plains to South Carolina and the Indian 

 Territory to the Artie Ocean. It winters from North Dakota, 

 Northern Michigan, Ontario and New England, south. They 

 arrive in the Middle West the last of October and the first of 

 November, and leave the last of March and the first of April. 

 They very much resemble the chipping sparrow, but are larger 

 and handsomer, and are never found with us in the summer. 



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