Birds of Canada. 61 



low woods. General color, rufous red, the under 

 parts white, tinged before with yellow. Nests, 

 upon the ground ; eggs, four in number, of a 

 grayish-white, with blotches of lavender. The 

 Field Sparrows collect in flocks about the first 

 of September, and leave for the south. 



S. sociallis. The Chipping Sparrow. 



This is one of our most common sparrows. 

 It arrives here the last of March, and leaves for 

 the south in October. It is five and a-half 

 inches long. Rump, back of neck, and sides of 

 neck and head, ashy ; crown, chestnut ; fore- 

 head, black, separated in middle by white ; a 

 white streak over the eye ; the under parts, 

 white. Builds its nest in low bushes ; eggs, four 

 in number, greenish-blue, with dark brown spots. 

 Feeds upon seeds, berries, and insects. 



Melospiza melodia. The Song Sparrow. 



The Song Sparrow is rufous-brown above ; 

 the under parts, white ; the breast and sides of 

 the body and throat, streaked with dark rufous. 

 This sparrow is one of our most common birds, 

 and one of the sweetest songsters of the sparrow 

 family. It makes its appearance here about the 

 middle of March. The nest is usually built on 

 the ground, or in a low bush ; eggs, four or five 

 in number, bluish-white, and variously marked. 

 Two broods are raised in the season. 



