NATURAL HISTORY. 
413 
resident. Excessively abundant, especially in winter, when it asso- 
ciates in large companies in briar patches and along tangled borders 
of streams. 
132. Melospiza palustris, (Wils.,) Bd. — Swamp Sparrow. — Chiefly 
spring and autumn visitant; arrive in spring last week in April; be- 
come abundant in the fall, second week in October; very secluded 
and retiring in habits. Gregarious in fall. 
[. Melospiza lincolni is, in all probability,' an inhabitant of the Dis- 
trict, though we have never succeeded in detecting it.] 
133. Passerellailiaca , (Merrem,) Sw. — Fox-colored Sparrow. Chiefly 
spring and autumn visitant, though some spend the winter in shel- 
tered situations. Abundant from November 1 to 30, and from March 
1 to 30. Eminently gregarious; inhabits thickets and the densest briar 
patches and laurel brakes. Sing just before departing; none breed. 
134. Euspiza americana , (Gm.,) Bon. — Black-throated Bunting. 
Summer resident. Arrives May 1; leaves towards the end of Sep- 
tember. Inhabits open fields and meadows. Abundant, especially 
in the spring. 
135. Guiraca ludoviciana , (Linn.,) Sw. — -Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 
Rare. Summer visitant ; seen only at intervals. Found in high, 
open woods; generally in small companies. Shy and difficult to pro- 
cure. 
136. Guiraca ccerulea , (Linn.,) Sw. — Blue Grosbeak. Summer 
resident. Rather rare. Breeds in much the same places as does 
Gardinalis virginianus ; at other times found in more open situations, 
orchards, sparse woods, Ac. Arrives first week in May; departs 
about middle of September. 
137. Cyanospiza cyanea, (Linn.,) Bd. — Indigo Bird. “Little Blue 
Bird/ 7 Summer resident. Common. Arrives 1st of May; remains 
until second week in September. About orchards, edges of woods, 
meadows, Ac. 
138. Gardinalis virginianus , Bon. — Cardinal Grosbeak. “Red 
Bird. 77 Resident all the year. Abundant, but always shy and diffi- 
cult to procure. Frequents only the thickest briar patches. Moults 
from middle of July till October. 
139. Pipilo erythrophthalmus , (Linn.,) Yieilh- — To\yhe Bunting. 
“Marsh Robin. 77 Chiefly spring and autumn visitant; a few breed. 
Very abundant from April 25 to May 10, and from first to third week 
in October. Thickets, laurel brakes, Ac. ; partially gregarious. 
140. Dolichonyx oryzivorous , (Linn.,) Sw. — Bob-o 7 -link. “Reed 
Bird. 77 Spring and autumn visitant. In spring distributed abun- 
dantly about orchards and meadows, even at that season generally 
in flocks, from May 1 to 15; in autumn frequent in immense flocks 
the tracts of Zizania aquatica , along the river; also cornfields, Ac., 
from August 20 to October. 
141. Molothrus pecoris, (Gm.,) Sw. — Cowpen Bird. “Cow Bird. 77 
Summer resident. Not very common. Arrives second week in 
March; remains till October. 
142. Agelaius phceniceus , (Linn.,) Vieill. — Red-winged Black Bird. 
Resident nearly all the year; more abundant in spring and fall, espe- 
cially the latter. Breed. Commence to flock over the tracts of 
