1 82 cassell's book of birds. 



moderate length, reaching as far as the upper tail-covers ; the tail itself is of middle size, and formed 

 of small feathers; the tarsus is high, the toes long, and furnished with large claws but slightly bent. 

 The plumage is soft and thick. Both species closely resemble the European House Sparrow in their 

 habits, living in and about the villages, and subsisting upon various kinds of seeds, which they 

 search for on the ground. Their nests are built in the neighbouring trees, upon which, also, 

 they generally pass the night. 



THE WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. 



The White-throated or Song Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicoliis) is six and a half inches long, and 

 nine across the wings, the female somewhat smaller ; the upper part of the head is of a dark brown and 

 black brown, intermingled with a mixture of black and grey, and divided by a light greyish-brown stripe, 

 marked with dark and light spots ; a similar whitish-brown stripe passes over both eyes, towards the back 

 of the head, and under this is a dark brown streak running in the same direction ; the cheeks and lower 

 part of the throat are ashy grey, the upper portion and chin white, divided from the dark grey tint 

 beneath by a black line. The mantle is of a reddish grey, the feathers being marked with black 

 streaks ; the shoulders and wing-covers are blackish brown, the lower portion of their feathers 

 bordered with reddish brown, and their end tipped with yellowish white, forming two irregular light 

 borders to the wing. The throat of the female has less white upon it, and the wings are not so 

 profusely marked with yellow. 



The White-throat is found throughout the whole of America : Audubon tells us that it is a 

 constant summer visitor in Louisiana and other Southern States, seldom, however, remaining longer in 

 those parts than from March to September ; but in the more central provinces it would seem to prolong 

 its sojourn to a later period. No sooner do these welcome visitors arrive than every hedge and fence 

 is alive with them ; they form parties consisting of some forty or fifty birds, and fly down from time to 

 time upon the surrounding district in search of food ; hopping gaily about as they peck the small grass- 

 seeds that constitute their principal nourishment, and hurrying back to their perch at the first intimation 

 of danger. Nothing can be more amicable than the terms on which they seem to live ; the time between 

 their excursions over the field is passed, not in noisy strife, but in pouring forth a constant flow of 

 song, so sweet as to please the ears of the most indifferent or unmusical listener. At early dawn the 

 little community is roused by a peculiar shrill warning cry, somewhat resembling the syllable " twit ;" this 

 we have heard uttered during the night, when no doubt it is intended as an intimation that all is well. 

 Should the day be warm, the whole flock seek shelter in the woods, and disport themselves upon the 

 branches of the wild vine, rarely, however, flying to any great distance from their usual haunts. AVith 

 the first approach of spring the States are deserted for the more northern portions of the continent. 

 Richardson found the nest of this bird, in the month of July, under the trunk of a tree that had fallen, 

 and tells us that it was formed of grass, with a bed of feathers and hair in its interior ; on his approach 

 the mother bird did not fly away, but ran noiselessly over the ground in the manner of a lark, thus 

 leaving the eggs, which were green, spotted with reddish brown, fully exposed to his view. The 

 W'hite-throated Sparrow is a plump little fellow, and often becomes extremely fat, the latter quality 

 adding materially to the value in which its flesh is held as an agreeable article of food, not only by 

 man but by Sparrow-hawks and other enemies. When caged, the voice of this bird is heard in its 

 full sweetness, and it continues during the entire spring and summer to sing, even until night has set 

 in, as is its habit in its native land. 



THE MORNING FINCH. 

 The Morning Finch (Zonotrichia matutina), as the Brazilian species has been called, is 

 eminently distinguished for its powers of song. In size it is somewhat smaller than its North American 



