26 HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 
very rapidly a few steps, and then fall and fluttey along 
as though wounded until she has drawn the intruder 
from the nest, when she will suddenly arise and fly to 
a safe retreat, uttering as she goes a complaining note 
much like that of the song sparrow. I have found a 
few of these nests in brush heaps, and also in low, thick 
bushes. This sparrow is perhaps oftener known by the 
name of grass finch or bay-winged bunting. 
April 14th I heard both the white-throated sparrows 
(Zonotrichia albicollis) and the white-crowned (Zono- 
trichia lewcophrys). It was a surprise, as these spar- 
rows are seldom seen in this neighborhood before the 
latter part of this month. During the spring and fall 
migrations these beautiful species are abundant. In 
spring they remain several days, singing very sweetly 
in the sunny mornings. In their breeding haunts 
farther north, they are said to sing in all’ kinds of 
weather, but I have never heard them sing here except- 
ing on the pleasantest days. Their songs’ are simple 
but very pleasing. That of the white-throated consists 
of six or seven clearly whistled notes, in quality resem- 
bling those of the chicadee, but there are more of them 
and of greater variety. 
The song of the whitescrowned is peculiar. It begins 
with a clear, though subdued whistle, and ends with 
three or four detached, bell-like notes, unique but very 
delightful. If in sight these sparrows are easily identi- 
fied by their conspicuous markings. The leucophrys 
has a white crown with black lines, the white meeting 
at the nape of the neck, and the black at the base of the 
