45
Concord, Mass.
1898
April 5
(No 3)
that it is apt to escape the eye of, or at
least to be misinterpreted by, the casual observer
and the impression is easily received that
the bird has merely scratched the leaves etc.
behind it after the manner of a hen. But
sometimes it does actually kick backwards
without first hopping forward. Its wings
are kept tightly closed during the performance.
The feet are held nearly parallel but often,
I think, one is a little in advance of the
other. 
   The Song and Tree Sparrows, as well as the
Juncos, "scratched" in precisely the same
manner as the Fox Sparrows but rather
less vigorously and much less frequently.
The Juncos sang a good deal, giving the
spring medley song chiefly, but the Tree Sparrows
were severely silently [sic] [silent] and I heard the
Song Sparrows only a few times in the
early morning.
  The combined flock of Sparrows, Juncos
& Robins was subject to frequent nervous panics
caused by the fall of a lump of snow, the
distant report of a gun, some noise within the
cabin or by some sight or sound either
imaginary or inappreciable by our duller senses.
With a chorus of screeps & twitters and a loud
rustle of wings the timid little birds would
scatter & dart off into the bushes some returning one after another