508 
GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 
more of them are to be seen, having at this time, in quest 
of sustenance, proceeded probably to the southern ex- 
tremity of the United States. Those observed in tropi- 
cal America, may be hibernal wanderers from the cooler 
parts of Mexico. At all events, they select the milder 
climates of the Union, in which to pass the breeding 
season, as at this time they are but rarely seen in the 
Southern States, Kentucky being about the boundary of 
their summer residence. 
Naturally vagrant and wandering, they continue to live 
in flocks, or in near vicinage, even throughout the great- 
est part of the selective season. As the fine weather 
of spring approaches, they put off their humble winter 
dress, and the males, now appearing in their temporary 
golden livery, are heard tuning their lively songs as it 
were in concert, several sitting on the same tree, enjoy- 
ing the exhilarating scene, basking and pluming them- 
selves, and vying with each other in the delivery of their 
varied, soft, and cheerful warble. They have also the fac- 
ulty of sinking and raising their voices in such a delightful 
cadence, that their music at times seems to float on the 
distant breeze, scarcely louder than the hum of bees ; it 
then breaks out, as it were, into a crescendo, which rings 
like the loud song of the Canary. In cages, to which 
they soon become familiar and reconciled, their song 
is nearly as sonorous and animated as that of the lat- 
ter. When engaged in quarrel, they sometimes hurl 
about in a whole flock, some, as it were, interfering to 
make peace, others amused by the fray, all uttering loud 
and discordant chirpings. One of their most common 
whining calls, while engaged in collecting seeds in gar- 
dens, where they seem to be sensible of their delin- 
quency, is, ’ may be , J may he. They have also a common 
Cry like ’tsheveet ’tshevee, uttered in a slender complain- 
