LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
295 
• The same pleasure was renewed, in less degree, 
hy the recognition of other feathered favourites, 
which I had known in the north, and which in 
their autumnal migration have lately appeared 
among us. I lately heard the sweet warble of the 
Song Sparrow {F, melodia)^ always heard wuth de- 
light, but peculiarly welcome at this season, when 
our groves are almost mute^ or at least - destitute of 
song. The Yellow-bird [Carduelis tristis) begins 
to occur in restless flocks, flitting from weed to 
weed, with alternate openings and closings of the 
wings, twittering all the way, very much like our 
English goldfinch. None of them are now dressed 
in the gay livery of bright yellow and deep black, 
in which they ornament the Canadian pastures, 
but they have all put on their sober winter attire 
of russet olive, in which they might well be mis- 
taken for a family of hen canaries, escaped from 
their cage. 
Besides these, which are all of the Finch tribe, 
many of the soft-billed birds, which feed on insects, 
are now hopping about our woods. 8uch are the 
Maryland Yellow-throat [Sylvia triclias)^ the Yel- 
low-backed Warbler [8, pusilla), the Prairie 
Warbler [S. minuta)^ and others of this delicate 
and lovely genus ; and some of the Thrushes, as 
the Wood Thrush [Turdus melodus)^ the Red 
Thrush {T. mfus)^ the Gold-crowned Thrush, 
{T. aurocoyjillus) j and the Red- breasted Thrush, 
T, migratorius)^ which in Newfoundland we used 
to call the Blackbird, and in Canada the Robin. 
Species of these families, and perhaps even these 
particular species, have haunted our southern woods 
all through the summer, but we have lately received 
such large accessions of numbers from the north. 
