As the cold winter approaches, large flocks of little birds about six
inches in length, with snow-white breasts and slaty-brown or blue backs,
make their appearance in the neighbourhood of villages and farmhouses;
sometimes, indeed, coming into towns as familiarly as sparrows. Their
habits are very like those of sparrows; and when the snow deepens, they
mix with them, searching together for the seeds in the sheltered corners
of the fields, and along the borders of creeks and fences. They differ
from the snow-bunting of the far north, with which they must not be
confounded. In the summer they make their way to the northern regions
in large flocks, and build their nests together, being of a very
sociable disposition.