16 THE, A-U-DU BON. BU Ieee 
His address is “Pfc. Alfred H. Reuss, 36957048, H. & S. Co., 260th 
Engr. C. B. N., A.P.O. 403,'c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y. Weare 
sure he would welcome a word from any of his friends among the 
ornithologists and bird banders. 
ft fl a 
White-throated Sparrows 
SOME OF THE BIRDS that visit or pass over the farm each fall on their 
migration are rather spectacular and always catch the eye of the outdoor 
fan. Others, like the white-throated sparrow, come down from the north 
so quietly and are so inconspicuous during the time they are on the farm 
that they go almost unnoticed. 
We have been watching the white-throats recently. This species is one 
of our favorite migrants because of its neat dress and delightful song. The 
sweet, plaintive cadence of this trim sparrow is one of the most pleasing 
bird songs associated with spring. 
Only a few birds migrate against a color background such as the 
white-throat has during October, when the countryside is drenched with 
autumn colors. Most of our summer residents are in such a hurry to 
migrate south that they leave before the foliage has taken on the vivid 
tints that come to the oaks, hard maples, and other trees during the 
month of October. 
The other day we watched some of the white-throated sparrows search- 
ing for food. They were on the ground rustling the dry fallen leaves. This 
is a typical background for the bird because it is in no hurry to move south- 
ward. As a result it visits the farm when the sumac is a blaze of purple 
and scarlet, and the trees are losing their foliage. 
While we were watching some of the birds, we couldn’t help listing some 
of the pastel tints that serve to highlight such a bird as the white-throat. 
There still are rich clusters of dark purple asters in the fields where the 
Sparrows pick up weéd seeds. The white and blue asters still are blossom- 
ing. Yellow is provided by growths of Jerusalem artichokes. In the woods 
the autumn colors range from deep russet browns to the bright orange of 
the hard maples. | 
This bird doesn’t fly so very far south each winter, but it does make 
quite a flight northward to nest. It likes the coniferous forests of Canada, 
east from Mackenzie. The bird also breeds in the northern United States. 
In the winter it may be found anywhere from Ohio south to Florida and 
northeastern Mexico. 
Altho we always get a thrill in seeing these birds on their autumn 
migration, you must see and hear them in the comparative silence of the 
northern woods to appreciate the position they have in the outdoors. Last 
summer, when we were above the St. Lawrence river, in the hushed spruce 
forests, we could listen to the clear whistled song of this sparrow. Often 
they sang to us as we fished a salmon river.—‘Day by Day on the Farm”, 
Chicago Daily Tribune. 
