123 



TREE SPARROW. 

 FRINGILLA ARBOREA. 

 [Plate XVI.— Fig. 3.] 



Z,e Soulciet^ Buff. Ill, 500. — Moineau de Canada, Briss. Ill, 101. PI. enl. 223. — Lath. 

 II, 252. — Edw. 269. — Arct. Zool. p. 373, No. 246. — Peale's Museum, JVo. 6575. 



THIS Sparrow is a native of the north, who takes up his win- 

 ter quarters in Pennsylvania, and most of the northern states, as 

 well as several of the southern ones. He ariives here about the 

 beginning of November; and leaves us again early in April; asso- 

 ciates in flocks with the Snow-birds, frequents sheltered hollows, 

 thickets, and hedge-rows, near springs of water; and has a low 

 warbling note, scarcely audible at the distance of twenty or thirty 

 yards. If disturbed takes to trees, like the White-throated Spar- 

 row, but contrary to the habit of most of the others, who are in- 

 clined rather to dive into thickets. Mr. Edwards has erroneouslv 

 represented this as the female of the Mountain Sparrow; but that 

 judicious and excellent naturalist, Mr. Pennant, has given a more 

 correct account of it, and informs us, that it inhabits the country 

 bordering on Hudson^s bay during summer; comes to Severn set- 

 tlement in May; advances farther north to breed; and returns in 

 autumn on its way southward. It also visits Newfoundland. 



By some of our own naturalists this species has been con^ 

 founded with the Chipping Sparrow (fig. 5), which it very much 

 resembles; but is larger and handsomer; and is never found with 

 us in summer. The former departs for the south about the same 

 time that the latter arrives from the north ; and from this circum- 

 stance, and their general resemblance, has arisen the mistake. 



Arct. Zool. vol. II, p. 373. 



