by thickets of willows, alders, dogwood, viburnums, and leatherwood were found, shaded 

 by tamaracks, ashes, and elms. The trees on the foot of the hill were the very paradise 

 of Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks during the summer. At some distance 

 north and west of the lake the land had been cleared. What at one time had been a 

 dense forest, was now a rich grassy meadow, dotted in -early spring with marsh mari- 

 gold, and later with phloxes, stately lilies, and many other flowers. Along the edge of 

 the outlet the water was covered with the leaves of the fragrant white water-lily and 

 the yellow pond-lily. Rails, Gallinules, and Coots, leading their young over the floating 

 leaves of these plants, were frequently seen. In those by-gone days wild Ducks were 

 very abundant. The most beautiful species, the Wood Duck, hatched its eggs in hollow 

 trees. Their dowqy young, barely out of the eggs, dropped themselves down from con- 

 siderable heights without receiving the least injury. They at once instinctively took to 

 the adjacent water. I, several times, held a young Wood Duck in my hand. It was hard 

 to the touch like a rubber ball. Among the reeds and rushes colonies of Red-winged Black- 

 birds were nesting, and in the trees and high bushes and even in the roots of up-turned 

 trees and in tree hollows Bronzed Crackles had their nests. In the immediate vicinity of 

 the water, where clumps of wild goose-berry and black currant bushes and red osiers grew 

 rather sparingly among wild balsams', cardinal flowers, milk-weed ^ and masses of ferns, 

 in those early days the Swamp Sparrow was a common bird. It does not inhabit locali- 

 ties where dense thickets and trees cover the ground, selecting always half-cleared, half- 

 wild moist places ; its favorite haunts being the swampy edges of brooks, low bushy 

 meadows, the borders of white cedar and tamarack swamps near fields and pastures. 

 It is never found during the breeding season far away from such localities and never in 

 fields or on dry ground. Whoever is familiar with this bird can easily find it in its 

 swampy retreats, its loud, pleasant, and characteristic chant betraying its whereabouts. 

 The inaccessibility of its marshy haunts is the chief reason that this splendid songster 

 is comparatively unknown. 



The Swamp Sparrow breeds from the Northern States northward to Fort Simpson, 

 New Foundland, and Labrador. It winters from the Middle States southward, being 

 particularly common in the Gulf States. I did not find it near Houston, Texas, though 

 it was a rather numerous bird in the thickets near the West Yegua in Lee County. I 

 also met with it in all marshy places near Vermillionville and New Iberia in Louisiana 

 during January and February. 



In its marshy home in the Northern States the Swamp Sparrow makes its appear- 

 ance about April 15. At this time I have never heard its song. Keeping itself hidden 

 in secluded thickets, it is very difficult to observe. Not before a month later its vernal 

 song is heard, but mingling with the thousandfold voices of the Bobolinks, Redwings, 

 Catbirds, Tanagers, Towhees, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and others, the lay, though 

 very melodious, makes little effect on the mind of the general hearer. It isings most 

 diligently late in May and throughout June. It is remarkable that almost all our great 

 ornithologists have so little to say about this song, which is almost as loud and varied 

 as that of the Song Sparrow. The lay resembles the syllables chee-chee-chee-chee-ze-ze- 

 ze-ze-ze-ze, but without having heard the notes the reader can form no idea of the gre^t 



1 Iwpatiens pallida. 2 Asclepias purparascens, 



21 



