60 THE BIOLOGICAL REVIEW. 



valley has shown that very few take those courses in migrating, 

 preferring to cross over the centre of the City. During the past 

 three seasons a few have been observed on Rosedale heights, 

 about a mile west of the Don, and I have observed a few in the 

 ravines north of High Park, about a mile east of the Humber 

 River ; but that seems to be the outside of the flock, and only 

 stragglers are taken beyond this. I have closely examined the 

 woods for some miles north of the City, and found very few 

 birds, which might indicate that they rise in a body and fly 

 northward till they strike the next elevation of land. On the 

 return in the fall they come over precisely the same route as 

 they travelled in the spring, arriving on Wells' Hill in the first 

 week of October, and by the 21st they have almost entirely 

 disappeared from the City. They certainly show a more direct 

 line of travel than any other bird I have witnessed, and 

 although they associate with the White-throats and Juncos 

 while here, the movements of these in no way interfere with 

 their own journey, as the White-throats hang around long after 

 the Fox Sparrows have taken their departure. So much being 

 said for the bird in his wild state, I will go farther and show 

 him in captivity. Of the number I have collected I have taken 

 four in traps. Being a seed-eating bird, they are comparatively 

 easy to keep alive, the greatest difficulty being the moult in the 

 spring. They show much of the same quiet, retiring disposition 

 as seen in the wild bird, but they are somewhat confiding and 

 seemingly very intelligent ; they do not flutter and knock them- 

 selves about, like most of the Sparrows, when startled, and 

 when talked to, show an inclination to listen to reason. They 

 feed on almost ev.ery kind of seed, and are also very partial to 

 insect food, being always first to seize a worm or grub dropped 

 into the cage. They bathe and feed regularly, and are not as 

 restless as their chums the White-throat and Song Sparrow. 

 While they spend most of the day on the ground, they 

 invariably mount to the highest part of the tree to roost at 

 night. They are friendly with every other bird, and never 

 attempt to interfere with them. 



I have compiled the result of a careful investigation of 

 twenty-six stomachs. 



