222 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 
and are common for a month or so, a few even lingering until 
May. They frequent for the most part swampy woodland, 
unless the water be frozen, though also gardens, stubble-fields, 
the roadsides, and occasionally the immediate neighborhood 
of houses (usually, in the last case, only as individuals). They 
generally gather in parties of from five to twenty, and often 
associate with other birds, such as the Song Sparrows or Snow- 
birds, particularly the former. In the early morning their 
songs, when blended with those of these sparrows, form a loud 
and very striking, but confusing and misleading chorus. The 
Fox Sparrows are rather shy, when frightened taking flight to 
trees (especially the pines), but they pass most of their time 
upon the ground, where they feed principally upon seeds, and 
such morsels as they find beneath the fallen leaves. They 
have a peculiar habit of scratching much like hens, and thus 
turn over the pine-needles, etc., or rake the grass. 
(d). Their most pleasing characteristic is their song, which is 
rich, full, loud, clear, and ringing, though tinged with a slightly 
mournful tone. It can be well imitated by the human whistle, 
but cannot be well described, owing to its several variations. 
It may often be heard here, chiefly in the cooler hours of the 
day, in March or April. It is sometimes abridged to a sweet 
warble, to which twitters are occasionally added. The Fox- 
colored Sparrows have also a rather dreary lisp or ‘ tseep,” and 
a loud chuck, which is more rarely heard. In my Journal is 
the following anecdote of a young bird of this species. ‘‘ Nov. 
24th. * * * * Observing him on a branch above me, I whis- 
tled the spring-song of this sparrow, being curious to observe 
his conduct. Whereupon the youngster swelled his throat, 
opened his bill, and apparently tried to sing, producing, how- 
ever, only a few weak hisses. This he repeated several times, 
as often as I whistled. Finding, however, none of his com- 
panions about, as I had probably led him to suppose, he soon 
returned to the asparagus-bed near by.” His instinct of song, 
and his futile efforts to answer my deceptive notes, afford much 
food for interesting thought. ‘< 
If anything can add freshness to the freshness of a bright 
