120 Birds Every Child Should Know 
ranges over-lap and there is any possibility of 
confusion. 
When the slate-coloured juncos come from 
their nesting grounds far over the Canadian 
border, look also for flocks of tree sparrows 
in fields and door yards, where crab grass, 
amaranth and fox tail grass, among other 
pestiferous weeds, are most abundant. I do 
not know how Professor Beal of the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, arrived at his conclusions, 
but he estimates that in a single state — Iowa — 
the tree sparrows alone destroy eight hundred 
and seventy-five tons of noxious weed seeds 
every winter. Then how incalculably great 
must be our debt to the entire sparrow tribe! 
Tree sparrows welcome other winter birds 
to their friendly flocks that glean a comfortable 
living from the weed stalks protruding from 
the snow. Their cheerful, soft, jingling notes 
have been likened by Mr. Chapman to “ sparkling 
frost crystals turned to music.” 
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Called also: Peabody-bird; Canada Sparrow 
“What’s in a name?” Our English cousins 
over the border are quite sure they hear this 
sparrow sing the praises of Swee-e-et Can-a-da, 
Can-a-da, Can-a-da-ah, while the New En- 
