51 



WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. 

 FRINGILLA ALBICOLLIS. 

 [Plate XXn.— Fig. 2.] 



Fringilla fusca, Bartram,/?. 291. — Lath. 11, 272. — Edwards, 304. — Arct, ZooLp, 373, 



No. 248.— Peale's Museum, No, 6486. 



THIS is the largest as well as handsomest of all our Spar- 

 rows. It winters with the preceding species and several others in 

 most of the states south of New England. From Connecticut to 

 Savannah I found these birds numerous, particularly in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Roanoke river, and among the rice plantations. 

 In summer they retire to the higher inland parts of the country, 

 and also farther north to breed. According to Pennant they are 

 also found at that season in Newfoundland. During their resi- 

 dence here in winter, they collect together in flocks, always pre- 

 ferring the borders of swampy thickets, creeks, and millponds, 

 skirted with alder bushes and long rank weeds, the seeds of which 

 form their principal food. Early in spring, a little before they 

 leave us, they have a few remarkably sweet and clear notes, gene- 

 rally in the morning a little after sun rise. About the twentieth 

 of April they disappear, and we see no more of them till the begin- 

 ning or second week of October, when they again return; part to 

 pass the winter with us; and part on their route farther south. 



The length of the White-throated Sparrow is six inches and 

 a half, breadth nine inches ; the upper part of the back and the 

 lesser wing coverts are beautifully variegated with black, bay, ash 

 and light brown ; a stripe of white passes from the base of the up- 

 per mandible to the hind head; this is bordered on each side with 

 a stripe of black; below this again is another of white passing over 



