174 PIPILO ERYTHEOPHTHALMUS, TOWHEE BUNTING. 



differeut from that of the northern tinl, being ordinarily only about half as long, and /JX'-C 

 uttered with much less spirit. Theie is probably a larg'^^ propurtiou of northern birds .„ * 

 ariiong the Pipiloves of Florida in winter ; while probably iu suniuier the majority are '»'/"« 

 of the southern type above described, as are doubtless those of Middle and Southern^ '" i-^ 

 Florida at all seasons" (Bull. JI. C. Z. ii, lf-71, 2.^-J). The amount of v.hite on the tailj 7 t^_j: 

 is less— that on the outer feather of var. alhni about equaling that on the next quill of ' 



ordinary e?'^(ftropft(/ia?»i«s. , ~f 



Specimens from the Red River region show an interesting approach to var. arcticua , 

 in the presence of small, concealed white spots. It may bexiecessary, after all, to bring /^^'Cjj 

 the species into the same series with maculatus, and consider all the forms as varieties /" 

 of one species. 



In the Middle Atlantic districts, as Maryland for instance, the Towhee 

 is cbiefly a migrant, appearing in great numbers the third or fourth 

 week in April, and so continuing until the middle of May ; while in the 

 fall it is still more numerous during the month of October. Still, I 

 used to Mud one or more families settled to breed each summer, and 

 generally saw the streaked birds of the year in July. I never ascer- 

 tained that any wintered about Washington, but should guess this to be 

 the ease, since the Eev. Dr. Turnbull states that some pass that season 

 in the most sheltered situations in Peunsylvania and Xew Jersey. With 

 the coming of other seed-eaters from the north, early in October, the 

 Towhee suddenly appears. As we walk along the weedy old "snake'" 

 fences and thick hedges, or by the briery tracts marking the course of 

 a tiny water- thread through a held, scores of the humble gray Sparrows 

 flit before us; while ever and again the jaunty Towhee, smartly dressed 

 in black, white, and chestnut, comes into view, flying low, with a saucy 

 flirt of the tail, and dashes again into the covert as quickly as it 

 emerged, crying "to;r-/tee" with startling disuincrness. In the spring it 

 is less conspicuous, and more likely to be found in low, tangled woods, 

 amid laurel brakes and the like; on the ground, rustling and busily 

 scratching the matting of last year's leaves that covers the earth, doubt- 

 less in search of insects. Its notes are then loader, and oftener heard. 

 Some say that the males precede the females in migrating; this may 

 average true, but I have constantly found the sexes together at both 

 seasons. This is only a partially gregarious bird, large gatherings being 

 Seldom witnessed. In fact it seems to prefer the society of the smaller 

 and plainer Sparrows, among which it shines without difficulty, doubt- 

 less patronizing them in the genteel way, customary with big folks, 

 that is so exasp.eratingly oppressive to the recipients. 



The Towhee Bunting nests always on the ground, usually at the foot 

 of a bush by an old log, or in weedy rubbish, wliich, with the deep set 

 of the nest in the. ground, very effectually conceals it. The only one I 

 have hai>peued to find so far, was sunk to the level of the surface, rest- 

 ing upon a straggling bed of leaves, like those strewn all around, built 

 of weed-stalks and small sticks, loosely interlaced, and finished care- 

 lessly with a slight lining of fine, dried grass. It contained five eggs — 

 three Cow-bird's and two of its own, which must have been sufliciently 

 discouraging. After this infliction, when I came to take the ue^t away 

 altogether, the poor birds seemed perfectly stupefied with despair. The 

 female flew to a bush near by, with a plaintive chirp that soon brought 

 her mate, and there the two sat motionless, side by side, too sick at 

 heart, it seemed, to even remonstrate. 



This was a case contrary to the general rules, that the Cow-bird lays 

 but one egg in a nest, and selects the nest of a bird whose eggs are 

 smaller than her .own. The Towhee's egg measures about 0.95 by 0.70 ; 

 the Cow-bird's about 0.75 by 0.60. There is a remarkable similarity in 

 coloration between the two — so much do they resemble each other, that 

 in the instance noted above I wondered at first how the Towhee had 



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