BLACK-THROATED BUNTING. 59 



covered by tufts of tall grass. They are also abundant on the open lands of 

 Missouri and Illinois; but rarer in Ohio, and scarce in Kentucky. They 

 are rarely observed to pass over South Carolina, but in Pennsylvania they 

 are plentiful, and there breed in every field covered with grass or grain. I 

 have also met with them in Massachusetts, but beyond this they are not seen 

 to the eastward. 



At the approach of the period of their removal from our Middle States 

 southward, the Black-throated Buntings congregate in particular localities, 

 as if to consult regarding their future proceedings. At this season I once 

 went from Philadelphia in search of them, accompanied by my friend 

 Edward Harris, and my son John Woodhouse. Having reached Salem 

 in New Jersey, we rambled some time in the neighbourhood, and found an 

 elev r ated piece of ground, closely covered with high rank weeds, among 

 which a great number of these birds had assembled. It being late in July, 

 the males were moulting, or had already acquired their new plumage; the 

 young, although full grown, had not yet assumed their second clothing, in 

 which the sexes are distinguished; and the females were generally ragged. 

 The birds were at first quite gentle, but after we had fired a few times they 

 all flew off to a considerable distance, from which, however, they soon 

 returned. On our continuing to harass them, they rose high in the air, and 

 flew out of our sight in a southwardly direction. They had then undoubtedly 

 began migrating. These birds are very partial to particular localities. 

 Sandy soil, unmixed with clay or earth, is not favourable to them; and it is 

 probably for this reason that none are found in any purely sandy part of the 

 State of New Jersey. 



The Black-throated Buntings reach our Middle States about the 10th or 

 15th of May, and at once betake themselves to the dry meadow lands and 

 grain fields, where they soon after begin to breed. The males are often 

 observed perched on the top branches of the shade trees found in those 

 places, and engaged in delighting their mates with their simple ditty, which, 

 according to Mr. Nuttall, resembles 'tic Hic-tste tsh8 tste tshe, and fship 

 tship, tschB tschg tscht tschip. To my ears the notes of our Black-throated 

 Bunting so much resemble those of the Corn Bunting of Europe, Emberiza 

 'miliaria, that I have often been reminded of the one by hearing the song 

 of the other. These unmusical notes are almost continuously uttered from 

 sunrise to sunset, and all this while the female is snugly seated on her eggs, 

 and listening to her beloved. He often visits her, alighting within a few 

 yards of where she is concealed, and then cautiously proceeding toward the 

 spot on foot, through the grass. When the bird leaves the nest, it creeps 

 along to some distance, and then flies off low over the ground. 



About the first of June the nest is formed. It is constructed of fine grass 



