JULY. 
235 
low^ the other five about four tones higher^ and all alike^ so 
clear^ and shrilly and musical^, that I have been quite charmed 
w^ith the sound. The higher notes are something like the 
strokes on a small silver bell^ and are frequently shaken or 
trilled. 
F. — I have heard the notes hundreds of times, both here 
and in Nev^foundland^ where it is very common^ and have 
had very great curiosity to know the author. They usually 
proceed from the thick woods^ and the bird is too shy to al- 
low approach : one day, however, I heard it proceeding from 
one of the plum trees in the orchard ; I crept cautiously to 
the spot, without disturbing it, until I arrived directly un- 
der the tree, within a few feet of the bird, which, while my 
eyes were fixed on it, whistled its sweet but simple song. 
It was the White-throated Sparrow ( Fringilla Albicollis ) ; 
a pretty bird, the upper parts spotted, like most of the Spar- 
rows, with bay, brown, and black, the head handsomely 
striped with white and black, and the under parts white. 
I have never seen the bird since. Its song, though heard at 
all times of the day, is chiefly uttered early in the morning, 
and in the evening ; and even sometimes continued till dark- 
ness has spread her curtain over the earth, at which time it 
has a pleasingly solemn effect. 
C. — Did you see that very large moth that just darted 
along, over our heads ? 
jp. — No : but I have seen several lately, in the dusk of 
the evenings, of very large size, but too indistinctly to iden- 
tify them : they are no doubt SaturnicB, and would be a 
noble addition to your cabinet ; but it would be vain to 
pursue them at this late hour, as they are almost instantly 
lost in the darkness. — Now you have an opportunity of 
seeing an assemblage of Fireflies, which I described to you a 
