FRliNTGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 519 



Habit.s. Tliis species was first obtained by Sir John lUchardson's party 

 and described by Swainson in the Fauna Borcali-Amcricana. It was ob- 

 served associating with the Lapland Bnntings on the banks of the Saskatche- 

 wan, but no information was obtained in regard to its breeding-habits. No 

 specimens in the mature plumage are known to liave been obtained in tlie 

 United States, but birds in tlie immature plumage are not unfreqnent, in 

 early spring, throughout Illinois, ilr. Audubon, in company witli ^Ir. Har- 

 ris and Mr. Bell, obtained specimens of these birds near Edwardsville, and 

 described them as a new species. Mr. I'ell states, in regard to these birds, 

 that he found tliem very abundant on the low prairie near a lake, a few miles 

 from Edwardsville. They were generally in large flocks, and when once 

 on the ground they began to separate. They ran very niudjly, in a manner 

 resembling that of the Grass Finch, and \\hen they arose, which they rarely 

 did unless they were nearly approached, they uttered a sharp click, repeated 

 several times in quick succession, and moved with an easy undulating motion 

 for a short distance and then alighted very suddenly, seeming to fall perpen- 

 dicularly se\eral feet to the grtiund. They preferred the s^iots where the 

 grass was slujrte^t. AYhen in tlie air they tlew in circles, to and fro, Ibr a few 

 minutes, and then alighted, keeping up a constant chirping or call, somewhat 

 like that of the Eed-Poll. 



These birds were observed in large numbers at Fort Anderson, and on the 

 Lower Anderson Eiver, by Mr. MacFarlane, and a large numlier of their 

 nests obtained. These were all on the groinid, and usually in open sjiaces, 

 but also in the vicinity of trees. The usual number of eggs found in a nest 

 appears to have been four. The nests, for the most part, were constructed 

 of fine dry grasses, carefully arranged, and lined with down, feathers, or finer 

 materials similar to those of the outer portions. In a few there were no feath- 

 ers ; in others, feathers in different proportions ; and in a few the down and 

 featliers composed the chief portion of the nest, with only a few leaves as a 

 base to tlie nest. They were sometimes sunk in excavations made by the 

 birds, or placed in a tussock of grass, and, in one instance, placed in the 

 midst of a bed of Labrador tea. 



They were also obtained at Fort Yukon, at tlie moutli of Porcupine River, 

 by Strachan Jones. They were much more abundant in the ilackenzie River 

 district. 



Specimens of tiiis bird, in the fall plumage, were obtained from Fort 

 Simpson, where Mr. B. R. Ross states tiiat it appears on its way north in 

 May. Tliey resort to the fields around the fort in search of grain. Although 

 these birds keep entirely apart from the P. nivalin, Mr. Ross has frequently 

 observed several P. lapponicus a.ssociating witli tliem. 



Wlien tlieir nests are approached, the female quietly slips off, while the 

 male bird may lie seen lioppiug or flying from tree to tree in the neighbor- 

 hood of the nest, and will at times do all he can to induce intruders to with- 

 draw from tlie neiuhborhood. 



