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 per cent, 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 buff y ; 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. ^^7^ 

 The great body of the White-throats us ually one-naif natural 

 passes through the State within three weeks 

 in spring and fall. They find shelter in brush piles, thickets, 

 or shrubbery, where they scratch about among dry leaves on 

 the ground. 



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