BIRDS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 307 
and late in February, when deep snow covers the ground. 
The song is among the sweetest of Sparrow notes, but not 
very strong. It slightly resembles that of the Fox Sparrow. 
Like other Sparrows, they chirp and twitter from time to 
time, but the full chorus of a flock in winter is a sound worth 
going far to hear. 
Seeds form ninety-eight per cent. of the Tree Sparrow’s 
food while it remains in the United States. It feeds very 
largely on pigeon grass, crab grass, and other grasses, and 
on the seeds of ragweed, amaranth, lamb’s quarters, and 
other weeds. Only one per cent. of the food consists of 
grain, while fifty percent. is weed seed. It therefore ren- 
ders some service, and does no harm. 
White-throated Sparrow. Peabody Bird. 
Zonotrichia albicollis. 
Length. — About six and three-fourths inches. 
Adult Male.— Above, brown, black-streaked ; crown black, with a central white 
stripe; a white stripe above the eye, changing to yellow from eye to bill; 
below this another black stripe extends along the sides of head behind the 
eye; sides of head gray, a paler shade on breast; large throat patch and 
belly white; sides brownish ; wings with two inconspicuous white bars. 
Adult Female. — Similar, but duller. 
Young. — Crown dark brown; line over eye buffy; throat patch dirty white. 
Nest.— On ground or in a low bush. 
Eggs.— Pale, and heavily spotted. 
Season. — Spring and fall; local in summer; very rare in winter. 
This large and handsome Sparrow is a migrant through the 
State in spring and fall; many breed in the north-central 
and western parts of the State, some in northern Worcester 
County, and many others in the Berkshire 
hills. Occasionally one remains through 
the winter in the southeastern portion of 
the State; but most of the White-throats 
that are seen here are passing south in Sep- 
tember and October, or going north late 
in April or during the first part of May. P18. 130s 
The great body of the White-throats usually one-half natural 
passes through the State within three weeks ig 
in spring and fall. They find shelter in brush piles, thickets, 
or shrubbery, where they scratch about among dry leaves on 
the ground. 
