SLATE-COLORED JUNCO. 
339 
as far south as Georgia, passing the winter in the Southern 
States and retiring early in the spring to its favorite boreal 
retreats. These Sparrows are silent birds, rather tame and 
unsuspicious ; w'hen alarmed or separated their call is simply 
shep, shep ; yet at times in the spring, a little before their 
departure, they whisper forth a few low and sweet notes indi- 
cative of the existence of vocal powers in the pairing season. 
According to Richardson this species breeds in the woody 
districts of the fur countries up to the 68th parallel. 
Nuttall was correct in his conjecture that the Fox Sparrow is a 
vocalist. It ranks as a peer of the best songsters of the entire 
Sparrow-Finch tribe. 
I have heard the song frequently in New Brunswick, when cold 
storms have detained the birds on their journey north until the 
approach of their mating season. Sometimes they arrive there 
early in March, and pass on in a couple of weeks, without uttering 
any other note than a metallic cheep. But when they tarry until 
after the first week in April they then burst into full song, and 
sing almost continuously. It is a “ fervent, sensuous, and withal 
perfectly rounded carol,” writes William Brewster; and he adds: 
“It expresses careless joy and exultant masculine vigor rather than 
the finer shades of sentiment.” The voice is strong, of wide com- 
pass, and sweet, rich tone. 
Nests of this species have been found on the Magdalen Islands 
and in Newfoundland, where it is called the Hedge Sparrow, and 
Thompson reports it breeding in numbers on Duck Mountain in 
Manitoba. 
SLATE-COLORED JUNCO. 
SNOW BIRD. WHITE BILL. 
JUNCO HYEMALIS. 
Char. Upper parts, neck, and breast dark slate or blackish ash; 
Below — from breast backward — white; outer tail-feathers and bill, 
white. Length to 6J4 inches. 
Nest. In grassy woodland, or old meadow, or by the roadside, some- 
times in the garden of a farm-house ; placed under the shelter of a mound 
or stump, or amid long grass , composed, usually, of grass, sometimes 
mixed with roots or moss ; lining usually of feathers, but sometimes hair, 
fur, or moss is used. 
