488 
GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 
frequenting low bushy meadows, streams, swamps, and 
watery situations, which afford him ready shelter, and 
his usual food of worms, insects, larvae, and seeds. Such 
situations are also their favorite resorts, when, in gregari- 
ous and miscellaneous flocks with other congeneric kinds, 
they are seen to crowd the sheltered marshes of the South- 
ern States. They are also commonly seen nimbly running 
along the ground, and gliding through low thickets in quest 
of their insect fare ; and in fine weather they dust them- 
selves, and bask in the sun. They often likewise frequent 
the water, being fond of washing ; and sometimes are 
seen to swim across small streams, particularly when dis- 
abled from flying, by a gun-shot wound. 
This species appears to abound from Canada to the 
Southern States, and breeds probably more or less in 
all the intermediate region. It builds usually on the 
ground, a little below the level, under a tuft of grass, or in 
a low bush, and occasionally in an evergreen, as the red 
cedar, 4 or 5 feet from the ground. Sometimes pushed 
for a situation of sufficient concealment from enemies, I 
have known it make a nest in the hole of a decayed trunk, 
5 or 6 feet from the ground. It is usually formed of a 
considerable portion of fine dry grass, neatly put togeth- 
er, and mostly lined with horse-hair. The eggs, 4 or 5, 
are greenish or bluish-white, thickly spotted with one or 
two shades of brown, the spots sometimes larger, and 
chiefly disposed towards the larger end ; at other times, 
very small and numerous, scattered over the greater part 
of the surface. They are very prolific, raising as many 
as 3 broods in a season, the young being occasional- 
ly hatched, in the Middle States, from the close of 
April to the end of August. They are very solicitous 
for the safety of their young, keeping up at this time 
often a tiresome chirping ; and on the destruction of 
