406 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Mch. 15-Apl. 12; Oct. 20-Nov. 15; occasional in winter. N. Ohio, common 

 T. V., Mch. 12-Apl. 23; Oct. 1-Nov. 16. Glen Ellyn, fairly common T. V., 

 Mch. 11-Apl. 28; Sept. 22-Nov. 8. SE. Minn., common T. V., Mch. 12- ; 

 Sept. 17-Nov. *2. 



Nest, of coarse grasses, lined with finer grasses, hair, moss, and feathers, 

 on the ground, and in low trees and bushes. Eggs, 4-5, pale bluish, evenly 

 speckled or heavily blotched with umber or vinaceous-brown, *80 x '63 (see 

 Bendire, Auk, VI, 1889, 108). Date, Ft. Resolution, Mack., June 1. 



In the early spring the Fox Sparrow is seen mostly about damp 

 thickets and roadside shrubbery; later it takes more to woodsides, 

 foraging on leaf-strewn slopes where there is little or no undergrowth, 

 often associated with small parties of Juncos. On its return in the 

 autumn it again becomes a common denizen of hedgerows and thickets, 

 and also invades the weedy grainfields, rarely, however, straying far 

 from some thickety cover. Sometimes large numbers congregate 

 among withered growths of tall weeds, whence they emerge with a 

 loud whirring of wings as their retreat is invaded, and hie away in 

 tawny clouds, flock after flock. It is a great scratcher among dead 

 leaves, and can make the wood rubbish fly in a way which, in propor- 

 tion to its size, a barnyard fowl could scarcely excel. 



The usual note of the Fox Sparrow is a feeble tseep. A note of 

 excitement is louder and sharper in tone. Its song is not surpassed 

 by that of any of our Sparrows. It is a revelation to hear it at sun- 

 down on some vernally softened evening of early springtime; little 

 swarms of gnats hover in the balmy air; from the twilight meadows 

 comes the welcome, half-doubtful piping of the first hylas no other 

 sound. Then perhaps from some dusky thicket a bird's songj An 

 emotional outburst rising full-toned and clear, and passing "all too 

 quickly to a closing cadence, which seems to linger in the silent air. 

 It is the song of the Fox Sparrow with that fuller power and richness 

 of tone which come into it, or seem to, at the sunset 'hour. It breaks 

 forth as if inspired from pure joy in the awakened season, though with 

 some vague undertone, scarcely of sadness, rather of some lower tone 

 of joy. EUGENE P. BICKNELL. 



1889. BENDIRE, C. E., Auk, VI, 107-116 (nesting). 



587. Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophthalmus (Linn.). 

 TOWHEE. Ad. d*. Upperparts black, sometimes margined with rufous; 

 throat and breast black, belly white, sides rufous; outer web of primaries 

 with white; tail black, the three outer feathers tipped with white; outer web 

 of the outer feather entirely white; iris red. Ad. ?. Upperparts, wings, 

 throat, and breast bright grayish brown; tail fuscous-brown the three outer 

 feathers tipped with white; sides rufous, middle of the belly white. Nestlings 

 have the back and underparts streaked with black. L., 8'35; W., 3*34; T., 

 3'68; B., '55. 



Range. E. N. Am. Breeds in Alleghanian and Carolinian faunas from 

 se. Sask., s. Man., s. Ont., and s. Maine s. to cen. Kans. and n. Ga. ; winters 

 from se. Nebr., the Ohio and Potomac valleys (casually New England) to 

 cen. Tex., the Gulf coast, and s. Fla. 



Washington, common S. R., very common T. V., Apl. 5-Oct. 21; a few 

 winter. Ossining, common S. R., Apl. 21-Oct. 31. Cambridge, common 

 S. R., Apl. 25-Oct. 15. N. Ohio, common S. R., Mch. 10-Oct. 25. Glen 



