SONG-BIRDS. Sparrows 



comes to us as a very restless migrant in middle autumn and 

 late spring, when it is occasionally seen feeding with Jun- 

 cos and White-throats. 



White-throated Sparrow: Zonotrichia albicollis. 



Plate 26. Fig. 2. 

 Length .■ 6.50-7 inches. 

 Male and Female : A plump, handsome bird. White throat and crown 



stripes. Back striped with black, bay, and whitish. Rump light 



olive-brown. Bay edgings to wings, and two white cross-bars ; 



under parts gray. Yellow spot before eye. Female crown, 



brown, markings less distinct. 

 Song : Sweet and plaintive, — " Pee-a-peabody, peabody, peabody I" 

 Season : Abundant migrant ; also a winter resident from September 



to May. 

 Breeds : From New England and the Northern States northward. 

 Nest : A deep grass nest partly sunken in the ground or in a low bush. 

 Eggs : Variable, greenish, and thinly speckled with reddish brown to 



gray, blotched heavily with chocolate. 

 Range : Eastern North America west to the Plains, north to Labrador 



and the Fur Countries, and winters from the Middle States 



southward. 



This is unquestionably the most beautiful of all the Spar- 

 rows, not excepting the great Fox Sparrow, and its rich 

 velvety markings and sweet voice have made it one of the 

 welcome migrants, and the few that remain through the 

 winter are carefully fed and cherished. 



The past season (1894) the upward migration began early 

 in March, the 7, being the first day that I noticpd a de- 

 cided movement, and then no more large flocks appeared 

 until the first week of May. A flock settled on a bit of ground 

 newly sown with grass seed, and devoted themselves to it 

 with such zest that at the end of three days every seed had 

 found its way into their little stomachs ; however, as the 

 ground was near the piazza it gave me a fine opportunity to 

 watch them, and four quarts of grass seed was a small price 

 to pay for their society. 



The White-throat's song has been expressed in many dif- 

 ferent syllables. It certainly says, "Pee-a-peabody, pea- 



151 



