THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 33 



other moult in spring and is at first broadly margined with 

 buff, but this gradually wears off. The young males re- 

 tain the dress of the female until the early part of the 

 succeeding spring; the plumage of the female undergoes 

 no material change of color. 



The nest is built on the ground in meadows or hayfields 

 and is a rude contrivance of grasses and is not easily seen. 

 The eggs are from four to seven in number, four-fifths by 

 three-fifths of an inch in size, of clear gray with brown 

 and blackish clouds and spots. 



The birds come from south of the Amazon early in the 

 spring and spread themselves over the whole of the north- 

 eastern United States and Canada, arriving here about the 

 first of May. The males frequently precede the females 

 by several days. Some few remain in northern New Jer- 

 sey to breed, but large numbers go farther north. These 

 return in the latter part of August, but we have large 

 numbers with us until the latter part of September, when 

 most have passed southward, although frequently consid- 

 erable numbers remain until late in October. The migra- 

 tion southward begins in August and continues right 

 along. 



Their song is delightful, but incoherent; it begins 

 when the birds reach Florida in their northward spring 

 migration and continues until after the young have been 

 hatched, when it changes to a simple call, resembling a me- 

 talic chink. Wilson says of their song: "Some idea may 

 be formed of this song by striking the high keys of a piano- 

 forte at random, singly and quickly, making as many sud- 

 den contrasts of high and low notes as possible. Many of 

 the tones are in themselves charming, but they succeed 

 each other so rapidly that the ear can hardly separate 

 them." Burroughs compares the song to Ha! Ha! Ha! 

 I must have my fun, Miss Silverthimble, if I break every 

 heart in the meadow! See, see, see. Thoreau says: 

 "It is as if he touched his harp with a vase of liquid 

 melody and when he lifted it out notes fell like bubbles 



