334 SINGING BIRDS. 
Nest. Ina pasture, orchard, or garden, placed in a bush or low tree; 
composed of grass, — sometimes mixed with roots, — thickly lined with 
horse-hair. 
fggs. 4-5; bluish green, spotted, chiefly about the larger end, with 
brown, black, and lilac; 0.70 X 0.50. 
This species, with the Song Sparrow, is probably the most 
numerous, common, and familiar bird in the United States, 
inhabiting from Nova Scotia to Florida, westward to the banks 
of the Missouri, and Mr. Townsend found it to be a common 
species in the Territory of Oregon. Aware of the many para- 
sitic enemies of the feathered race which it has to encounter, 
who prowl incessantly, and particularly in quest of its eggs, it 
approaches almost instinctively the precincts of houses, barns, 
and stables, and frequently ventures into the centre of the 
noisy and bustling city, to seek in the cultivated court an 
asylum for its expected progeny. Soon sensible of favor or 
immunity, it often occupies with its nest the thick shrubs of 
the garden within a few yards of the neighboring habitation, 
by the side perhaps of a frequented walk, in the low rose-bush, 
the lilac, or any other familiar plant affording any degree of 
shelter or security, and will at times regularly visit the thresh- 
old, the piazza, or farm-yard for the crumbs which intention 
or accident may afford it. On other occasions the orchard 
trees are chosen for its habitation, or in the lonely woods an 
evergreen, cedar, or fir is selected for the purpose. It makes 
no pretensions to song, but merely chips in complaint when 
molested, or mounting the low boughs of some orchard tree or 
shrub, utters a quickly articulated ascending sh ssh ’tsh 'tsh 
’tsh tshe tshe, almost like the jingling of farthings, and a little 
resembling the faint warble of the Canary, but without any of 
its variety or loudness. This note, such as it is, is continued 
often for half an hour at a time, but is little louder than the 
chirping of a cricket, and uttered by the male while attending 
his brooding mate. For many weeks through the summer and 
during fine weather this note is often given from time to time 
in the night, like the revery of a dream. 
The nest of the Chipping Bird varies sometimes consider- 
ably in its materials and composition. The external layer, 
