216 LAND-BIRDS. 



but more modest notes of the Swamp Sparrow, beard later, 

 may afford to those who hear them a more lasting pleasure. 

 But this bird is unfortunately almost unknown except to the 

 student of birds, owing to his continual residence in swamps, 

 meadow-thickets, or even marshes, his rareness in many 

 places, and above all his shyness. It is, therefore, with 

 pleasure that I shaU endeavor, so far as possible, to intro- 

 duce him to my readers. 



The Swamp Sparrows are locally common throughout New 

 England, but most so to the southward and eastward. They 

 •reach the neighborhood of Boston in the earlier part of April, 

 and remain there until October or even November. They 

 inhabit exclusively wet lands, chiefly those ^which are rather 

 secluded, or which contain bushes and shrubbery. They are 

 shy, and it is almost impossible to study their habits except by 

 penetrating their haunts and resting there motionless. They 

 may then be observed to move from bush to bush, but not 

 " jerking their tails as they fly," or to run quite nimbly on the 

 ground, where they find much of their food, which consists of 

 seeds, berries, and insects. They are not so collective as the 

 Song Sparrows often are, nor have I often seen them perched 

 in trees. On the contrary, they are very terrestrial, often 

 scratching like the Fox Sparrows, or wading in shallow 

 water. 



d. The Swamp Sparrows excel all our other Finches in 

 the variety of their distinct notes, and on this score are per- 

 haps to be ranked as the first musicians of their family. Of 

 these notes their mellow chuck, their harsh scold, and their 

 song, bear a strong resemblance to the corresponding notes of 

 the Catbird. This song is much less pleasing than the sweet, 

 clear trill, much like that of the Pine Warbler or Snow-bird, 

 which generally replaces it in spring, or their low warble 

 occasionally to be heard in autumn. They have also a soft 

 chip, a querulous note, and certain expressive twitters. Like 

 the Song Sparrows, who sing chiefly in the early morning 

 and at dusk, they keep comparatively late hours, and often do 

 not retire until it is almost dark. I remember to have seen 

 one at evening in the eccentric expression of his passion dur- 



