56 HOME STUDIES IN NATURE. 



Chapter III. 



OUR WINTER BIRDS. 



;A.fter several years' careful observation in Southern 

 New Jersey, I find that winter gives us a phase in the 

 life and character of birds quite unlike that displayed 

 in summer by the same species, yet none the less inter- 

 esting. 



The permanent residents of this latitude which come 

 about our house and grounds are the song-sparrow, field- 

 sparrow, English sparrow, yellow-bird, pine-linnet, blue- 

 bird, robin, meadow-lark, quail, blue-jay, crow, and sev- 

 eral species of hawks and owls. The Northern birds 

 which make this section their winter home are the 

 white-throated sparrow, fox-sparrow, tree-sparrow, chick- 

 adee, and the dark slate-colored sparrow, or snowbird, 

 as it is more usually called. There are also several spe- 

 cies restricted to the woods, with which I am unfamiliar. 



Most of these birds will become quite tame with a 

 little care on our part, and will soon come to look to 

 us for their daily food. Especially if the ground be 

 covered with snow, they will learn to become clamorous 

 for their food, even alighting on the window-sills and 

 striking the glass, apparently to attract attention to 



