174 



Economic Status. The White-throat is a valuable bird. It is important 

 as a destroyer of weed seeds, especially of ragweed, and consumes a con- 

 siderable number of insects and a little wild fruit. As the species comes 

 down in great numbers to the thickly cultivated sections in early autumn, 

 its effect on the succeeding season's weed crop must be pronounced. 



559. Tree Sparrow, fk. — le pinson db montagne. Spizella monticola. L, 6-36. 

 Plate XXXII B. 



Distinctions. Much like the Chipping and Field Sparrows, but larger and the bill 

 yellow with dark tip instead of black as in the former, or cinnamon as in the latter and with 

 a semi-concealed dark spot in the middle of the breast. 



Field Marks. Red-brown cap, prominent white wing-bars, ashy-grey throat, and 

 dark spot in middle of the evenly coloured xmspotted breast. 



Nesting. On or near ground, in nest of grasses, rootlets, and hair. 



Distribution. Eastern North America. Breeds in the far north beyond the Umits of 

 civilization; winters in northern United States. 



SUBSPECIES. Eastern and western subspecies of the Tree Sparrow occur in Canada. 

 The former is the tj^peform and the only one that occurs within the region covered by this 

 work. 



Among the hosts of sparrows that congregate in the shrubbery in the 

 autumn or return early in the spring, is the Tree Sparrow. In the 

 southern parts of the Dominion it sometimes remains all winter, but is a 

 migrant elsewhere. It is a natty little bird and its modest song in the 

 early spring is most welcome after the long silent winter. 



Economic Status. The Tree Sparrow is valuable for its destruction of 

 weed seeds and seems to have no bad habits. 



560. Chipping Sparrow, chippie, hair bird. pr. — le petit pinson a couhonne 

 RonssE. Spizella passerina. L, 5-37. Plate XXXIII A. 



Distinctions. A familiar bird, separable from the Swamp and Tree Sparrows which, 

 like it, have red caps, by size; and from them and the Field Sparrow by its black bill and 

 the black stripe throu^ the eye. Juveniles have streaked heads and closely resemble 

 the Clay-coloured Sparrow, a western bird that occasionally may be confused with them 

 in far western Ontario. The Chipping Sparrow, however, has a slaty instead of an 

 ohve-buff rump. 



Field Marks. A small, slim sparrow with red cap, unstreaked breast, and a black 

 line through the eye. Its long drawn out song, a series of unaccented chirps running into 

 each other in a single sustained triU, is very characteristic. 



Nesting. In trees or bushes, in nest of grasses, rootlets, and fibres plentifully inter- 

 mixed with long hairs. The amount of horse hair used in the nest is the origin of one of this 

 bird's popular names. 



Distribution. Eastern North America to well north of civiUzation. Breeds in Canada 

 wherever found. 



SUBSPECIES. The form of the Chipping Sparrow occurring in eastern Canada 

 is the Eastern Chipping Sparrow, the type form. Another subspecies occm-s in the west. 



The Chipping Sparrow is rarely absent from the vicinity of suburban 

 or village homes, coming close to houses and frequenting the orchard and 

 shade trees, the front yard, and even the door step. It does not fear man, 

 but though not avoiding him it escapes notice through its quiet and un- 

 obtrusive habits. 



Economic Status. The Chipping Sparrow is a greater insect eater 

 than most of the family. In fact, through June, 93 per cent of its food is 

 composed of insects, only 1 per cent of which are beneficial species such as 

 predacious beetles and parasitic wasps. The average for the year is 38 

 per cent of insects, and for the months spent by the bird in Canada, the 



