27iJ FRIiVGILLA ERYTHROPHTIIAL.MA. 
among the dry leaves, near, and sometimes under, » 
thicket of briers, and is large and substantial. The 
outside is formed of leaves and pieces of grape-vio® 
bark, and the inside, of tine stalks of dried grass, ti**^ 
cavity com|)letely sunk beneath the surface of 
ground, and sometimes half covered above with dr/ 
grass or hay. The eggs are usually five, of a pale fle-si* 
colour, tliickly marked with specks of rufous, inO»^ 
numerous near the great end. 
The young are produced about the beginning of June- 
and a second brood commonly succeeds in the sau*® 
season. This bird rarely winters north of the State 
Maryland, retiring from Pennsylvania to the soM*' 
about the 12th of October. Yet in the middle distrie*/ 
of Virginia, and thence south to Florida, I found '* 
abundant during the months of January, February, a"** 
March. Its usual food is obtained by scratching up tb* 
leaves ; it also feeds, like the rest of its tril)e, on vario**’ ' 
hard seeds and gravel ; but rarely commits any depr*^ 
dations on the harvest of the husbandman, geueraUj’ 
preferring tlie woods, and traversing the bottom ** 
fences sheltered witli briers. He is generally vetj 
plump and fat; and, when confined in a cage, soe"* 
becomes tainiliar. In Virginia, he is called the bulfiucb i 
in many pliices, the towhe bird ; in Pennsylvania, ‘*'5 
chewink, and by otliers, the swamp robin. He conff'" 
butes a little to the harmony of our woods in spri**^ ! 
and summer ; and is remarkable for the cunning 
which he conceals his nest. He shews great affectie'’ 
for bis young, and the deepest marks of distress on 
appearance of their mortal enemy the black snake. 
The specific name which Linumus has bestoivcd 
this bird, is deduced from the colour of the iris of 
eye, which, in those that visit Pennsylvania, is dark 
red. But I am suspicious that this colour is not 
raauent, but subject to a periodical change. I exanii'*® 
a great number of these birds in the mouth of Marrb* 
in Georgia, every one of which had the iris of the eff, i 
white. Mr Abbot of Savannah assured me, that at 
season, every one of these birds he shot had the I 
3 
