ZONOTRICHIA ALBICOLLIS. "tl 



"Female smaller, and the colours rather duller. Immature and winter 

 specimens have the white chin-patch less abruptly defined, the white 

 markings on the top and sides of the head tinged with brow^n. Some 

 specimens, apparently mature, show quite distinct streaks on the breast 

 and sides of the throat and body. 



" Sir John Richardson states that they reach the Saskatchewan in the 

 middle of May, and spread throughout the fur- countries, as far at least as 

 the 66th parallel, to breed. He says that he saw a female sitting on seven 

 eggs, near the Cumberland House, as early as June 4th. The nest was 

 placed under a fallen tree, was made of grass lined with deer's hair and a 

 few^ feathers. Another, found at Great Bear Lake, w^as lined wdth the setee 

 of the Bryum uliginosum. He describes the eggs as of a pale mountain- 

 green, thickly marbled with reddish brown. When the female was disturbed, 

 she ran silently off in a crouching manner, like a Lark. 



"At Columbia, S. C, Dr. Coues found these Sparrow^s very abundant 

 from October through April. They sing more or less all winter, and during 

 the last few w^eeks of their stay are quite musical. Mr. Audubon says this 

 bird visits Louisiana and all the southern districts in winter, remaining 

 from November to March, in great numbers. They form groups of from 

 thhly to fifty, and live together in great harmony, feeding upon small seeds. 

 At this time they are plump to excess, and are regarded as a delicacy." 

 Plate xxvi. contains a good figure of the head of Z. alUcollis -6 ad., wdth 

 others of the same genus. 



Elliott Coues says (in 'Birds of the North-west, Handbook,' p. 152) : — 

 "Audubon's account is too faithful and too vivid to ever grow out of date. . . . 



" How it comes and how it departs are quite unknown to me. I can 

 only say that all of a sudden the edges of the fields bordering on Creeks or 

 swampy places and overgrown with different species of vines, sumac bushes, 

 briers, and the taller kinds of grasses appear covered with these birds. They 

 are constantly moving up and down among these recesses, wdth frequent 



VOL. IT, M 



