BLACK-THROATED BUNTING. 
59 
covered by tufts of tall grass. They are also abundaut on the open lands of 
Missouri and Illinois ; but rarer in Ohio, and scarce in Kentucky. They 
are rarely observed to pass over South Carolina, but in Pennsylvania they 
are plentiful, and there breed in every field covered with grass or grain. I 
have also met with them in Massachusetts, but beyond this they are not seen 
to the eastward. 
At the approach of the period of their removal from our Middle States 
southward, the Black-throated Buntings congregate in particular localities, 
as if to consult regarding their future proceedings. At this season I once 
went from Philadelphia in search of them, accompanied by my friend 
Edward Harris, and my son John Woodhouse. Having reached Salem 
in 'New Jersey, we rambled some time in the neighbourhood, and found an 
elevated piece of ground, closely covered with high rank weeds, among 
which a great number of these birds had assembled. It being late in July, 
the males were moulting, or had already acquired their new plumage ; the 
young, although full grown, had not yet assumed their second clothing, in 
which the sexes are distinguished ; and the females were generally ragged. 
The birds were at first quite gentle, but after we had fired a few times they 
all flew off to a considerable distance, from which, however, they soon 
returned. On our continuing to harass them, they rose high in the air, and 
flew out of our sight in a southerly direction.. They had then undoubtedly 
begun migrating. These birds are very partial to particular localities. 
Sandy soil, unmixed with clay or earth, is not favourable to them ; and it is 
probably for this reason that none are found in any purely sandy part of the 
State of New Jersey. 
The Black-throated Buntings reach our Middle States about the 10th or 
15th of. May, and at once betake themselves to the dry meadow lands and 
grain fields, where they soon after begin to breed. The males are often 
observed perched on the top branches of the shade trees found in those 
places, and engaged in delighting their mates with their simple ditty, which, 
according to Mr. Nuttall, resembles ’ tic ’ tic-tshe tshe tshe tshe, and tship 
tship, tsche tsche tsche tschip. To my ears the notes of our Black-throated 
Bunting so much resemble those of the Corn Bunting of Europe, Emberiza 
miliaria , that I have often been reminded of the one by hearing the song 
of the other. These unmusical notes are almost continuously uttered from 
sunrise to sunset, and all this while the female is snugly seated on her eggs, 
and listening to her beloved. He often visits her, alighting within a few 
yards of where she is concealed, and then cautiously proceeding toward the 
spot on foot, through the grass. When the bird leaves the nest, it creeps 
along to some distance, and then flies off low over the ground. 
About the first of June the nest is formed, It is constructed of fine grass 
