PASSEEELLA ILIACA, EOX SPARROW. 161 



November and March).— BoAiiDM., Pr. Best. Soo. ix, 1863, 127 (Calais, Me., mi- 



fratory, common). — Verr., iUd. 138 (Anticosti, common, breeds). — Vere., Pr. 

 Iss. Inst., iv, 1864, 73 (Springfield, Mass., October, November, March, April, 

 sometimes Febmarv).— CoUES. Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868, 283 (New England, mi- 

 gratory).— CouES, Pr. Bost. Soc. sii, 1868, 116 (South Carolina, November to 

 April).-LAWR., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1868, 287.— Tuhnb., B. E. Pa. 1869, 13 

 (October to March).— Dall & Bank., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1868, d>S5 (Alaska, 

 summer, breeding abundantly).— Matx., Gnide, 1870, 120 (Massachubetts, mi- 

 gratory) ; and Pr. Bost. Soc. 1871 (Quebec, breeding).— Ai.le.n, Bull. M. C. Z. 

 ii, im, 279 (Florida, rare).— Trippe, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 238 (Iowa).— CouES, 

 Key, 1872, 147, fig. 91.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 7.— B. B. & Ii., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 

 50,'pl. 78, f. 2. 



D-ingilla rufa, VViLS., Am. Orn. ii, 1811, 53, pl.-22, f. 4.— LiCHT., Vwz. 1823, No. 428. 



Fi-ingilla ferriiginea, WiLS., Cat. vi, 1812. 



"Emberieapratensis,YiElLT^." 



Fasserella obscura, Verr., Pr. Bost. Soc. ix, 1862, 153 (Anticosti). 



SaJ.— Eastern Province of North America. North to 68°, and to the Yukon. Breeds /^ ^ • 

 from the British Provinces northward. Not observed to neat anywhere in'tho United ., , . _ 

 States. Winters in the Middle States sparingly, iu the Southern States very abun-'^'^/ 

 dantly. West in, the United States only to the edge of the Central Plains. Accidental^ w**/ C, 

 in California (spec, in Mus. S. I.). . • «^ 



Not obtained by any of the Expeditions. ''^ , 



The Pox Sparrow enters the Middle States from the North in October,'^ ° 

 and by the first of the following- month has become abundant. Some (e ^7' 

 linger here through the winter in sheltered situations, but the greater >^.J 

 number repair further south eaily in December, to reappear the latter 

 part of February, thus escaping the coldest weather. During the 

 winter they are dispersed over the Southern States, beyond which, how- 

 ever, they do not appear to pass, as I have found rio record. In March 

 they again become plentiful in the Middle States; and, having already 

 taken up their line of migration toward their homes in the North, their 

 coming is with song of gladness and all the busy stir of the opening 

 season. They are not all oft' until April, and during the sunny days 

 that precede their departure, the males are fond of mounting the little 

 bushes, or even the trees, to warble a few exquisitely sweet notes, the 

 overture of the joyous music which, later in the year, enlivens the 

 northern solitudes, whither the birds resort to nest. So musical is the 

 Fox Sparrow, indeed, that even in autumn, when the transient glow 

 and fervor of the nuptial period has subsided and commonplace occu- 

 pations alone engage him, he forgets the dull se*ason at times, and li^ps 

 fugitive strains of sweet memories awakened by the warmth and 

 glamour of the Indian summer. But this is a mere fragment — the 

 shadow of a song stealing across the mind, not the song itself, which 

 we only hear in perfection when the bird's life is quickened in the sunny, 

 showery April, and he leaves us with cheery "good-bye," promising to 

 come again. What one of our fringilline birds is so entirely pleasing 

 as this, my favorite"? Strong, shapely, vivacious, yet gentle, silver- 

 tongued; clad most tastefully in the richest of warm browns; and, that 

 nothing may be wanting to single him out from^among his humbler 

 relatives, a high-bred bird, exclusive, retiring. 'OVe do not find him 

 mixing indiscriminately with the throng of Sparrows that accompany 

 him in his journeyings' and spend the winter with him. With a few 

 select associates of his own kind, perhaps only two or three families 

 that were reared together, he chooses his own retreat, and holds it 

 against intrtision. In some little glade, hedged about with almost im- 

 penetrable briers, you will come upon him and his ftiends, nestling 

 among the withered leavesx)n the ground, gently calling to each other 

 in the assurance of safety .y'Ou your unwelcome appearance, they will 

 hurriedly take flight together, throwing tliemselves into the thickest 

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