122 W^Sf^R]^ TREJ^ SPARROW. 



the stem, getting a good dinnei", without trouble, off the seeds that their neighbors 

 above rattle down. At such times the whole company keeps up an animated conversa- 

 tion, expressing their satisfaction, no doubt, in their own language; it is more than 

 chirping, and not quite singing — a low, soft continuous chanting, as pleasing as it is 

 indescribable. The Tree Sparrow^ is, indeed, one of the sweet-voiced of our Sparrows, 

 and one very fond of singing, not only in the spring, but at other seasons ; times are 

 hard with it, indeed, when it cannot, on occasion, tune its gentle pipe." 



The breeding range of this bird is extensive. On the Atlantic coast it breeds from 

 northern Maine to Labrador. In the Hudson's Bay region it seems to be common also. 

 In Alaska it is one of the most abundant birds. But this is a variety, the Western 

 Tree Sparrow, S. monticola ochracea Brewster. 



The nest is described as being placed in similar situations as that of the Hairbird, 

 but it is said to be built often on the ground. Kennicott found the bird breeding on 

 the Yukon, and Dall at Nulato. McFarlane met with it breeding in large numbers at 

 Fort Anderson. The nests w^ere constructed of dry bark and grasses, loosely put to- 

 gether and very warmly lined with feathers. On the ground they were usually concealed 

 in a tuft of grass. The usual number of eggs in a nest is four or five. The eggs have 

 no similarity to those of the Hairbird, being light green, flecked and freckled w^ith 

 minute markings of foxy-brow^n. These markings are distributed with great regularity 

 over the surface, but so sparsely as to leave the ground distinctly visible. Size . SOX. 60. 

 NAMES: Tree Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Canadian Sparrow, Winter Chippy. — Baumfink (German). 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Fringilla monticola Gmel. (1788). SPIZBLLA MONTICOLA Baird (1858). Frin- 

 gilla canadensis Lath. (1790) [Nutt., Aud.]. Fringilla arborea Wils. (1810). 



DESCRIPTION: Sexes, alike. "Mandible, yellow; maxilla, black. Pileum, rich rufous, also a distinct postocular 

 stripe; sides of head, light ash-gray, including a broad superciliary stripe, the latter nearly white an- 

 teriorly. Nape mixed ashy and rufous. Back, rusty ochraceous, streaked with rufous and black. Wings, 

 rusty, the feathers blackish centrally; both rows of wing-coverts broadly tipped with pure white, forming 

 two distinct bands ; tertials bordered with white toward ends. Rump, uniform grayish-olive. Tail, dark 

 grayish-brown, feathers edged with paler. Lower parts, whitish, tinted yrith ashy anteriorly, sides and 

 flanks tinged with ochraceous, sides of breast tinged with rufous, and middle of jugulum with a dusky 

 spot." (Ridgway, "Birds of Illinois.") 



Length about 6.25 inches ; wing, 2.95 ; tail, 2.70 inches. 



The Western Tree Sparrow, S. monticola ochracea Brewst., a local form, in- 

 habits western North America, east to Dakota and western Kansas, south in winter to 

 New Mexico and Arizona, in summer north to the Arctic regions. Breeds in Alaska. 



