OT EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 29! 



hardier and more robust than our summer deni- 

 zens, we incline to the opinion that the latter 

 retire to the South ia the autumn and are suc- 

 ceeded by sparrows, from more northern latitudes. 

 We are confirmed somewhat in this opinion by 

 the simultaneous occurrence of these hardier 

 sparrows with the Black Snow Birds. 



The song of our winter denizen commences 

 with that of Spizella monticola about the middle 

 of March, and ceases with it about the 1 2th of 

 April, when both species depart. Its song is more 

 varied, and possesses greater sweetness and power 

 of expression. A capital singer which we observed 

 very closely dtiring the past season, was capable 

 of producing no less than ten distinct measures in 

 regular succession. The individuals which arrive 

 from southern latitudes in the spring, as far as 

 our experience extends, seldom produce more 

 than five separate measures ; and the contrast be- 

 tween the two is so great that the dullest ear can 

 appreciate it with facility. 



The eggs are a dingy white, and marked with 

 ferruginous and light purple blotches equally dif- 

 fused over the entire surface. In some specimens 

 these markings are so numerous as to conceal the 

 ground-color; in others, they are irregularly scat- 

 tered, leaving spaces unmarked. They measure 

 .81 of an inch in length, and .59 in breadth. 



yunco hyemalis, Sclater. 



The Snow Bird driven from its northern home 



