70 



FIELD SPARROW— SEA-SIDE FINCH-YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. 



ever the pine trees are, these birds may be met with in flocks from 

 fifteen to thirty. It is generally distributed over North America, 

 and is chiefly a winter visitor to the United States. It is difficult 

 to define its exact limits, which are dependent on the weather and 

 scarcity of food. At uncommon times it will make its appearance 

 in places where it had before never been seen. According to Nut- 

 tall : " They are by no means shy, and permit a near approach 

 without taking alarm, often fluttering among the branches in which 

 they feed, hanging sometimes by the cones, and uttering notes 

 very similar to those of the American Goldfinch. They hang upon 

 the twigs with great tenacity, and move about, while feeding, in re- 

 versed postures, like the Chickadees. After being shot at, they 

 only pass on to the next tree, and resume their feeding, as before. 

 They have a quailing call of twee, twei, or, tshe-vee; and, when 

 crowding together in flight, make a confused chirping — 'twit, 

 'itwil, 'twit, 'twit, 'twit — with a rattling noise, and sometimes go 

 off with a simultaneous twitter. Occasionally they descend from 

 their favorite birches, and pick up sunflower seeds and those of 

 the various weedy chcnop odiums growing in wastes." 



According to Richardson, this is one among the few hardy and 

 permanent residents in the fur countries, where it may be seen in 

 the coldest weather, on the banks of lakes and rivers, hopping 

 among the reeds and canes or clinging to their stalks. They are 

 numerous throughout the year, even in the most northern districts ; 

 and from the rarity of their migrations into the United States, it 

 is obvious that they are influenced by no ordinary causes to evac- 

 uate the regions in which they are bred. Famine, in all probability, 

 or the scarcity of food, urges them to advance toward the south. 

 It is certain that they do not forsake their natal regions to seek 

 shelter from the cold. The nest is composed of pine twigs, and stalks 

 of dried grass, intermixed with tufts of wool, and warmly lined 

 with hair and feathers. The eggs of this species are pale-greenish, 

 varied with numerous reddish spots, disposed at the larger end. 

 The length of this species is about four inches, and its breadth 

 sight inches. 



The Field Sparrow. (Spizella pusilla.) 

 Fig. 3. 



This is one of our small species of Sparrows. It winters in the 

 Southern States, where it may be seen in great numbers, 

 mingling with other species of similar habits, near fences and 

 straggling bushes, their brown plumage giving them a close re- 

 semblance to the color of the falling leaves. On the return of spring 

 they leave their Southern home to disperse in pairs through the 

 Northern States to breed. The nest, which is built in May, is 

 usually made of fine stalks of dried grass and small leaves, and 

 placed on the ground, under shelter of some small bush or in the 

 bush, and is lined with fine grass and horse-hair. The eggs vary 

 from four to six in number, of a bluish-white ground color, 

 sprinkled with spots of reddish-brown. They raise two broods 

 in a season, sometimes three. 



Samuels says: " The male sings during the season of incuba- 

 tion, and, indeed, through nearly all the summer. Mounted on 

 a low tree or fence-rail, he utters his pleasing, yet plaintive ditty 

 at early morning and evening, and, in dark and cloudy weather, 

 through the whole day. The song is a peculiar warble, some- 

 thing like the syllables 'te-'de, 'de, 'de, 'de, 'de, 'de, 'd, 'd, 'd, 'd, 

 uttered at first low, and rapidly increasing, and then decreasing in 

 tone to a faint chatter, something like the twitter of the Chipping 

 Sparrow. The food of this species, like most Sparrows, consists 

 of insects, seeds, and moth. Early in the fall the}' leave for the 

 South, although some are met with in the North during winter, 

 at which time they become very tame. The length of this species 

 is five and a quarter inches, and its breadth is eight inches. 



The Sea -side Finch. {Ammodromus maritimus.) 

 Fig. 4. 



This species confines its habitation almost entirely to the sea- 

 side, moving for inland situations only after violent easterly storms 

 have taken place. It is seldom found more than about ten miles 

 inland from its favorite retreats. When the high tides, says Wil- 

 son, compel it to seek the shore, it courses along the margin, and 

 among the holes and interstices of the weeds and sea-wrack, 

 with a rapidity equaled only by the nimblest of our Sand-pipers, 

 and very much in the same manner. At these times, also, it roosts 

 on the ground, and runs about after dusk. Nuttall says : " It de- 

 rives its whole subsistence from the margin of the ocean, and its 

 flesh is even imbued with the rank or fishy taste to be expected 

 from the nature of its food. At other times it remains amidst the 

 thickest of the sea-grass, and climbs upon the herbage with as 

 much dexterity as it runs on the ground. Its feet and legs, for 

 this purpose, are robust, as in the Swamp Sparrow." According 

 to Audubon, they nest on the ground, in the bushy parts of the salt- 

 marshes which are elevated above the flow of the tides. This habita- 

 tion is made of coarse grass, and lined with finer portions of the same. 

 The eggs are four to six in number, grayish-white, speckled over 

 with brown. They appear to rear two broods in the season. In May 

 and June, the Sea-side Finch may be seen almost at all hours, 

 perched on the top of some rank weed, near the salt-marsh, singing 

 with much emphasis the few notes which compose his monotonous 

 song. When approached, it seeks refuge in the rank grass, by 

 descending down the stalks, or flies off to a distance, flirting its 

 wings, and then alighting suddenly, runs off with great nimble- 

 ness. This species is six and a quarter inches long, and eight and 

 a quarter broad. 



The Yellow-throated Vireo. ( Vireo Jlavifrons.) 



Fig- 5- 



Nuttall's account of this species is so full and satisfactory that 

 we give it in whole : 



' ' This species of Vireo, or Warbling Fly-catcher, visits the Middle 

 and Northern States of the Union about the beginning of May, 

 or as soon as his insect food allows him a means of subsistence. 

 He resides chiefly in the forests, where he hunts his tiny prey 

 among the high branches ; and, as he shifts from twig to twig in 

 the restless pursuit, he often relieves his toil with a somewhat sad 

 and indolent note, which he repeats, with some variation, at short 

 intervals. This song appears like 'preea, 'preea, etc., and it 

 sometimes finishes with a complaining call of recognition, 'prreaigk, 

 'prreaigh. These syllables rise and fall in different tone as they 

 are repeated, but though usually sweet and impressive, are de- 

 livered too slow and solemn to be generally pleasing ; in other re- 

 spects, they considerably resemble the song of the Red-eyed 

 Warbling Fly-catcher, in whose company it is often heard blend- 

 ing its deep but languid warble with the loud, energetic notes of 

 the latter, and their united music, uttered during summer, even 

 at noon-day, is rendered peculiarly agreeable, as nearly all the 

 songsters of the grove are now seeking a silent shelter from the 

 sultry heat. In the warmest weather, the lay of this bird is in- 

 deed peculiarly strong and lively ; and his usually long-drawn, 

 almost plaintive notes, are now delivered in fine succession, with a 

 peculiar echoing and impressive musical cadence, appearing like 

 a romantic and tender reverie of delight. The song, now almost 

 incessant, heard from the roving, sylvan minstrel, is varied in bars 

 nearly as follows : prea prea preoe, preait preoit p'rriweet 

 preeae, pewai praiou, pruai preeo, praoit, preeo preawit preeoo. 

 When irritated, he utters a very loud and hoarse mewing, praigh 

 praigh. As soon, however, as the warm weather begins to d**- 



