127 



CHIPPING SPARROW. 

 FBINGILLA SOCIALIS. 

 [Plate XVI.— Fig. 5.] 



Passer domesticm, the little House Sparrow^ or Chipping -bird, Bartram, j&. 291. — -Peale's 



Museum, No. 6571. 



THIS species, tho destitute of the musical talents of the for- 

 mer, is perhaps more generally known, because more familiar and 

 even domestic. He inhabits, during summer, the city, in common 

 with man, building in the branches of the trees with which our 

 streets and gardens are ornamented; and gleaning up crumbs from 

 our yards, and even our doors, to feed his more advanced young 

 with. I have known one of these birds attend regularly every day, 

 during a whole summer, while the family were at dinner, under a 

 piazza, fronting the garden, and pick up the crumbs that were 

 thrown to him. This sociable habit, which continues chieflv dur- 

 ing the summer, is a singular characteristic. Towards the end of 

 summer he takes to the fields, and hedges, until the weather be- 

 comes severe, with snow, when he departs for the south. 



The Chipping-bird builds his nest most commonly in a cedar 

 bush, and lines it thickly with cow hair. The female lays four or 

 five eggs of a light blue color, with a few dots of purplish black 

 near the great end. 



This species may easily be distinguished from the four pre- 

 ceding ones, by his black bill and frontlet, and by his familiarity in 

 summer; yet in the month of August and September, when they 

 moult their feathers, the black on the front and partially on the 

 bill disappears. The young are also without the black during the 

 first season. 



