156 Mr. Peabody on the 
mon near the sea. Its song is animated, though far 
inferior to that of the song-sparrow. Though it is 
very hardy, it proceeds to the south in winter and 
returns in April, when it resorts to fields and open 
plains. Audubon says, that it breeds in all places, 
from Maryland to Labrador. If so, the nest probably - 
can be found here, though it may be easily mistaken 
for that of the species last described. 
The Syow-sirv, Fringilla hiemalis, commonly 
called the blue snow-bird, to distinguish it from the 
snow-bunting, a bird much less common than this, 
comes to us just in advance of the wintry desolation, 
an infallible sign that the dreary season is at hand; 
dreary to us, it would be proper to say; for this 
little traveller, though it retreats before it, evidently 
has no fear of its coldand snow. It is almost always 
seen here in company with the tree-sparrows. After 
doing all they can to pick up a subsistence from the 
frozen ground, they come round our houses to gather 
crumbs, or any morsels of provision that may have 
_ been cast out from the door; and if a handful of 
meal is thrown to them, they receive it with great 
delight. Afterremaining with us as long as possible; 
in the heart of the winter, they are compelled to 
remove; but with the first glimpse of spring they 
EENES resorting to. d or to the edges of the 
wood, and roosting in hay-stacks, when the nights 
are severely cold. ey are only summer residents 
in the fur countries, and never abound there. Wil 
son tells us that they sometimes breed in the Alle- 
ghany mountains. 
& 
