FINCHES. 235 



woods. It is placed on the ground, or near it in a pile of 

 underbrush, and is composed of twigs, dead leaves, grasses, 

 and roots. The eggs of each set are usually four, averaging 

 1.00 X .75 of an inch ; and their ground-color is white, often 

 tinged with brown or gray. The markings are usually very 

 fine, rarely in blotches, and never coarse. They are sometimes 

 most prominent about the crown, and sometimes are scattered 

 evenly over the egg, often being very minute and numer- 

 ous. Their colors are various browns, and occasionally lilac 

 also. 



c. The Towhee Buntings are common almost throughout 

 the eastern United States, though rare to the northward of 

 Massachusetts and not known to occur beyond the White 

 Mountains. In other parts of the covmtry they are repre- 

 sented by numerous closely allied species and varieties, as 

 are other of our common birds, such as the Song Sparrow, of 

 whom there are said to be no less than six distinct races in 

 the West and Northwest.^^ The " Towhees " usually reach 

 Boston (which now includes much country within its limits) 

 in the first week of May, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, 

 and leave it in September or early October. On their arrival 

 they sometimes appear in the copses and shrubbery of culti- 

 vated estates, but they usually desert these later in the season, 

 and frequent almost exclusively swampy woodland, and the 

 " scrub," often that growing on hillsides. The " scrub " is a low 

 or bushy " growth " of trees, consisting chiefly of oaks and 

 birches, and may be found for the most part in dry and hiUy 

 lands, particularly such as once contained pines. Here among 

 the underbrush the " Chewinks " busy themselves, always on 

 or near the ground, except when the males mount some low 

 perch to sing. They search for seeds and insects under- 

 neath the leaves and decayed vegetation, which they turn over 

 by scratching, much like Hens ; when disturbed, leaving the 

 ground to eye the intruder, but, unless pursued, immediately 

 returning to their former occupation. They may often be seen 

 flying across the road or paths, with their broad, white-edged 

 tail wide spread. They never are gregarious, except so far 



^3 Dr. Cones. 



