CANADA BUNTING- (TREE SPARROW.) 
85 
feet from the ground, on the horizontal branch of a fir tree, not far from the 
stem. It was principally formed of rough grass, and lined with fibrous 
roots, hairs of various quadrupeds, and some from the horse. It contained 
five eggs, of a uniform deep blue, so closely resembling those of the Common 
Chipping Sparrow, that, had they not been much larger, I might have con- 
cluded them to be those of that bird. I suspect that, in a country where 
the summer is so short, the Tree 'Sparrow seldom if ever breeds more than 
once in the season. 
When we returned to the United States late in August, the Tree Sparrows 
with their young were already moving southward. A mere intimation of 
the rich chestnut colour of the head of the adult in summer was seen. They 
had already tuned their pipes, which sounded in my ear as their affectionate 
farewell to a country, where these sweet little creatures had met with all of 
happiness that their nature could desire. 
The pair represented in the plate, and which have been placed on a twig 
of the barberry bush, were procured at Boston. The drawing from which 
it has been copied was made by my youngest son. 
According to Dr. T. M. Brewer, this is the most common Sparrow found 
near Boston during the winter, inhabiting in large flocks the low bushes and 
grass in marshy, sheltered situations, much of the time very quiet and 
inactive. 
A specimen sent by him in spirits has the palate ascending obliquely, and 
of the usual appearance, the upper mandible beneath with a middle promi- 
nent line and two broad ridges, which at the base form a hard flattened 
prominence, similar to that of the true Bunting, but not so elevated. Tongue 
4A twelfths long, about as deep as broad, fleshy and convex at the base above, 
channelled toward the end, which is pointed and horny. Width of mouth 
31 twelfths. (Esophagus 2 inches 1 twelfth long, dilated on the middle of 
the neck into a large crop, 5 twelfths in width, which winds round into the 
hollow of the neck behind. Stomach roundish, placed obliquely, G twelfths 
long, 7^ twelfths broad ; its lateral muscles very large, as are the tendons ; 
the epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous. The stomach filled with 
seeds and sand, and ttrn crop partially filled with the former. The intestine 
is 7 inches long, from 2 twelfths to 1 twelfth in width ; the coeca 2 twelfths 
long, i twelfth width, 10 twelfths from the extremity. 
The trachea is 1 inch 8 twelfths long, nearly 1 twelfth in breadth ; its 
rings 75, firm and considerably flattened. Inferior laryngeal muscles small. 
Bronchi of about 12 half rings. 
Rarely reaches the Carolinas during winter, or Louisville on the Ohio. 
Breeds from Maine northward to the Eur Countries. Abundant. Migratory. 
Vol. III. 14 
