82 SOME CANADIAN BIRDS. 



as fax as the lower fur countries. During September and October 

 they return southwai I, but do not wander far, as numbers 

 are found near Philadelphia, where they sing all winter. Their 

 favorite haimts, while with us, are the open woodlands, pastures, and 

 old meadows, though they may be found in gioves that border 

 cultivated fields, and in suburban hedges. The birds spend most 

 of the time on the ground, searching amid the leaves and the dead 

 grass for the seeds and the insects upon which they feed. The 

 young are fed exclusively on insects. The nest is placed on the 

 ground, and like mcnc ground-built nests is a rather loosely 

 constructed affair. Ic is hidden in a tuft of tall grass, or amid a 

 bunch of moss, and is made of grass and weed-stems. The lining is 

 usually of fine grass and roots, though occasionally hair and 

 feathers are used. The four or five eggs that are found in these 

 nests are of a pale robin's-egg blue ground color, thickly marked 

 with several shades of reddish brown. 



The male shares with his mate the weariness of incubation and 

 the care of the young, and though not so deuionstrative in his 

 affection as some other birds, is not less devoted in his attentions. 

 He is a fine songster, and is not chary of his music, for during the 

 breeding season his voice may be heard at all hours of the day, and 

 occasionally during the night. The voice is sweet and strong, and 

 the melody, though simple, is cheery and effective. It is peculiarly 

 effective when heard in the quiet hours of the night. Though by no 

 means one of the great songs of our woodland, nor entitling the 

 bird to high rank, even among our minor songsters, yet the 

 summer would lose much of its charm if "old Tom Peabody" failed 

 to return to us. His sweet, cheery notes are too dearly cherished 

 to be missed without regret. 



VESPER SPARROW. 



This quiet-mannered, plainly -costumed and altogether unobtrusive 

 bird is anotlner of the minor songsters that is very dear to the heart 

 of all bird-lovers. And who are not bird-lovers ? 



The older authors named the bird "grass finch," but a later 

 generation dropped that for " bay- winged bunting. " The people, 

 however, chose to call the bird " ground sparrow," because it built 



