1 86 TOWHE BUNTING. 



seldom see more than two together. About the middle or 

 20th of April, they arrive in Pennsylvania, and begin building 

 about the first week in May. The nest is fixed on the ground 

 among the dry leaves, near, and sometimes under, a thicket of 

 briars, and is large and substantial. The outside is formed 

 of leaves and dry pieces of grape-vine bark, and the inside of 

 fine stalks of dried grass, the cavity completely sunk beneath 

 the surface of the ground, and sometimes half covered above 

 with dry grass or hay. The eggs are usually five, of a pale 

 flesh colour, thickly marked with specks of rufous, most 

 numerous near the great end (see fig. 6). The young are 

 produced about the beginning of Jane, and a second brood 

 commonly succeeds in the same season. This bird rarely 

 winters north of the State of Maryland, retiring from Penn- 

 sylvania to the south about the 12th of October. Yet in the 

 middle districts of Virginia, and thence south to Florida, I 

 found it abundant during the months of January, February, 

 and March. Its usual food is obtained by scratching up the 

 leaves ; it also feeds, like the rest of its tribe, on various hard 

 seeds and gravel ; but rarely commits any depredations on 

 the harvest of the husbandman, generally preferring the woods, 

 and traversing the bottom of fences sheltered with briars. He 

 is generally very plump and fat ; and, when confined in a 

 cage, soon becomes familiar. In Virginia, he is called the 

 bul finch ; in many places, the towhe bird ; in Pennsylvania, 

 the chewink ; and by others, the swamp robin. He contributes 

 a little to the harmony of our woods in spring and summer ; 

 and is remarkable for the cunning with which he conceals his 

 nest. He shows great affection for his young, and the deepest 

 marks of distress on the appearance of their mortal enemy, the 

 black snake. 



The specific name which Linnams has bestowed on this 

 bird is deduced from the colour of the iris of its eye, which, 

 in those that visit Pennsylvania, is dark red. But I am 

 suspicious that this colour is not permanent, but subject to a 

 periodical change. I examined a great number of these birds 



