CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 2. PASSERES. 



163 



THE WOOD-SPARKOW. 



The Ring-Sparrow, F. petronia, is six inches long, grayish-brown above and white beneath ; 

 found in Middle Europe. 



The Amadavade, or Amaduvat, F. amadava^ is a small kind of sparrow scarcely four inches 

 long, brown above and paler beneath, spotted with white ; the rump red, the tail and wings black, 

 the bill bright red. It is common in Southern Asia, and is imported into America and Europe in 

 large numbers. It has a pleasing song, and if twenty or thirty are in a cage together they will 

 all sit on one perch and sing in succession. 



The Java Sparrow, Oryzornis oryzivorUi five inches long ; of a delicate bluish color ; feeds on 

 rice ; it has a monotonous song of two notes ; it is a native of Southern Asia and Java ; many 

 are imported into Europe, the bird being valued for its beauty. 



The American species of Sparrow are not numerous : the Song-Sparrow, F. melodia, is one of our 

 more common and pleasing species. It is six and a half inches long ; above it is streaked with red 

 and brown; lower parts white. It builds on the ground under a tuft of grass; eggs four or five; two 

 or tiiree broods reared in a season. Wilson says : " It may be said to be partially migratory, 

 many passing to the south in the month of November, and many of them still remaining with us 

 in low, close, sheltered meadows and swamps, during the whole of winter. It is the first singing 

 bird in spring, taking precedence even of the pewee and bluebird. Its song continues occasion- 

 ally during the whole summer and fall, and is sometimes heard in the depth of Avinter. The 

 notes, or chant, are short, but very sweet, resembling the beginning of the canary's song, and fre- 

 quently repeated, generally from the branches of a bush or small tree, where it sits chanting for 

 an hour together. It is fond of frequenting the borders of rivers, meadows, swamps, and such 

 like watery places; and if wounded, and unable to fly, will readily take to the water, and swim 

 with considerable rapidity. In the great cypress swamps of the Southern States, in the depth of 

 winter, I observed multitudes of these birds mixed with several other species ; for these places 

 appear to be the grand winter rendezvous of almost all our sparrows." 



The Chipping-Bird, F. socialis — Fmbcriza socialis of Dc Kay — is five inches long ; frontlet 

 black; ash-colored above ; beneath white. Wilson says : "Though destitute of the musical tal- 

 ents of the former species, it is, perhaps, more generally known, because more familiar, and even 

 domestic. He inhabits, during summer, the city, in common with man, building in the branches 

 of the trees with which our streets and gardens are ornamented, and gleaning up crumbs from 

 our yards, and even our doors, to feed his more advanced young with. I have known one of 

 these birds attend regularly every day, during a whole summer, while the family were at dinner 

 under a piazza fronting the garden." 



The Fox-colored Sparrow, or Finch, F. iliaca, is seven and a half inches long; above varied 

 with reddish-brown and ash ; beneath white : found from Texas to Labrador. 



