SNOW BIRD. 
257 
«no,v covci’s tlie g;round, they become almost half 
f^'Uosticated. They collect about the harii, stables, 
J*"! other outhouses, spread over the yard, and even 
the steps of the door ; not only in the country 
villages, hut in the heart of our large cities; 
*'JO\vding around the threshold early iu the morulug, 
leaning up the crumbs ; appearing very lively and 
^Jailiar. They have also recourse, at this severe season, 
j '6n the face of the earth is shut up from them, to the 
of many kinds of weeds that still rise above the 
j?t>\v, ill corners of fields, and low, sheltered situations, 
yOtig the borders of creeks and fences, where they 
o*0ciate with several species of sparrows, particularly 
four last mentioned. They arc, at this time, easily 
^hlfht with almost any kind of trap ; are generally fat, 
’'‘d, it is said, arc excellent eating. 
-Icanuot hut consider this bird as the most numerous 
5'ts tribe of any within the United States. From the 
J.'h'therii parts of the district of Maine, to the Ogochee 
iu (Georgia, a distance, by the circuitous route in 
l^'tich I travelled, of more than 1800 miles, I never 
t*-'*sed a day, and scarcely a mile, M'ithout seeing uum- 
of these birds, and frequently large flocks of several 
_0Usands. Other travellers with whom I conversed, 
y. had come from Lexington, in Kentucky, through 
i,**'8'inia, also declared that they found these birds 
j^htcrous along the whole road. It should he observed, 
the roadsides are their favourite haunts, where 
(?*'>y rank weeds that grow along the feuces furnish 
Vj .'ll tvith food, aud the road with gravel. In the 
(,®*'‘'ty of places where they were most numerous, I 
^’I'ervcd the small American sparrow hawk, aud several 
their opportunity, or 
^ ''•^I’iiiw cautiously around, making an occasional sweep 
01 ,'*''g them, and retiring to the hare branches of an 
4? ^yprcss, to feed on their victim. In the month of 
when the weather begins to he warm, they are 
i,l^®''ved to retreat to the woods, aud to prefer the 
,,^,dcd sides of hills and thickets; at which time the 
''lal, 
Warble out a few very low sweet notes, aud are 
'’oi. n. R 9 
