WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. 115 



This bird has a still greater resemblance to the Siskin of Europe [F. 

 spinus), and may perhaps be the species described by Turton,* as the 

 Black Mexican Siskin, which he says is varied above with black and 

 yellowish, and is white beneath, and which is also said to sing finely. 

 This change from flaxen to yellow is observable in the Goldfinch ; and 

 no other two birds of our country resemble each other more than these 

 do in their winter dresses. Should these surmises be found correct, a 

 figure of this bird in his summer dress shall appear in some future part 

 of our work. 



Species IX. FRINGILLA ALBICOLLISA 



WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 



[Plate XXII. Fi^. 2.] 



Fringilla fusca, Bartram, p. 291. — Lath, ii., 272. — Edwards, 304. — Arct. Zool. p. 



373, No. 248. 



This is the largest as well as handsomest of all our Sparrows. It 

 winters with the preceding species and several others in most of the states 

 south of New England. From Connecticut to Savannah I found these 

 birds numerous, particiilarly in the neighborhood of the Roanoke river, 

 and among the rice plantations. In summer they retire to the higher 

 inland parts of the country, and also farther north to breed. Accord- 

 ing to Pennant they are also found at that season in Newfoundland. 

 During their residence here in winter, they collect together in flocks, 

 always preferring the borders of swampy thickets, creeks, and mill- 

 ponds, skirted with alder bushes and long rank weeds, the seeds of 

 which form their principal food. Early in spring, a little before they 

 leave us, they have a few remarkably sweet and clear notes, generally 

 in the morning a little after sunrise. About the twentieth of April 

 they disappear, and we see no more of them till the beginning or second 

 week of October, wheh they again return ; part to pass the winter with 

 us ; and part on their route farther south. 



The length of the White-throated Sparrow is six inches and a half, 

 breadth nine inches ; the upper part of the back and the lesser wing 

 coverts are beautifully variegated with black, bay, ash and light brown ; 

 a stripe of white passes from the base of the upper mandible to the hind 



* Turton, vol. i., p. 550. 



t Fringilla pennsyluanica, Lath. Ind. Orn.- i., 44.5. — Passer pmnsylvanicus 

 Bsiss. app. p. 77. — Id. 8to. i., p. 367. 



