r,(;y Noinri amkiucan birds. 



to tlio intli. Mr. Alien met witli it fioiii May 7 to .Tniie (1, in 18(11, when 

 tlioso birds were moro coninion tliiin usual. At this period, further \ve.st, in 

 Ohio, Western Pennsylvivnia, and New York, these hird.s are very abundant. 

 From April 10 to the latter portion ol' May, in 1852, they were abundant in 

 the nei},diborhood of Washinytou, the ('a])itol <irountls Ijeinj,' full of them. 

 They were familiar and feark's.s, aiul seemed to deligiit to search for food 

 under the large Norway spruces, branching down to the groinid. Their 

 abundance that si)ring may have lieen exceptional, as Wilson apj)ears to have 

 met with but very i'aw si)eciinens. 



Mr. Aiulubon fVmntl these Spairows very al)undaut in Labrador, where 

 they were apparently late in breeding. Tt was not until the 0th of .luly that 

 he found one of their nests. This was placed among the moss at the foot of 

 a low fir. It was made externally of dry hypnum mosses, matted in Inuiches 

 like the coarse hair of some (|uadrui)ed, and internally of fine dry grasses, 

 arranged with great neatness, to the tiiickness of half an inch, with a full 

 lining of the delicate yellow fibrous roots of the Coptin frtfu/ia. The nest 

 was five inches in its external diameter, and two in depth, the cavity two and 

 a quarter wide and one and three (quarters deep. The eggs, five in nimiber, 

 he describes as of a light sea-green color, mottled towards the larger end 

 with brownish spots and blotches, a few spots of a lighter tint being dis- 

 persed over the whole. All the nests found were placed on the ground or 

 among the moss, and all were alike in their construction. I5y the beginnii g 

 of August the party met with young that were able to tiy. l?y the mitldle 

 of that month tliey had commenced their southern migrations. 



Dr. Coues also found this Sparrow breeding in great lunnbers along the 

 entire coast of Labrador. Fouiul in all situations, it seemed to be particu- 

 larly fond (jf dee]), thickly wooded, and secluded ravines, surrounded by high 

 precipitous cliffs, and, when in more open districts, confining itself to tan- 

 gled patches of juni[)er and scrubby firs. He descril)es it as a very active 

 and .sprightly liird, almost continually in motion. It sehlom alights without 

 rapidly jerking and flirting its tail, and uttering its loud chirpings. While 

 the female is incubating, the male usually mounts to the top of the cliff or a 

 neigldioring tree, and repeats his loud and not unpleasing, though somewhat 

 monotonous, notes for the space of half an hour or more. He describes its 

 song as very similar to that of the White-throated Sparrow, consisting of 

 two long-drawn syllables with a rising intonation, then three more in a quick, 

 hurried manner, with a falling cadence, — pee-dee-de-de-de ; the whole is 

 delivered in a mellow whistle. If approached while thus engaged, the per- 

 former l)ecomes instantly silent, and dives hastily into the nearest cover. 

 The nest was always placed on the ground, and usually in little patches of 

 low heath, abundant wherever the ground was dry. He found a nest on the 

 23d of July, containing young just hatched. The female flutters off in 

 silence when her nest is disturbed, but the male bird vociferates his angry 

 remonstrance, flirting his tail aiul jerking his body in an energetic manner. 



