FRIXGILLID.E — THK FINCHES. 547 



grassy portions of the West. It is especially cliaractcristic of tlie higher 

 grassy slopes of the elevated mountains, iDarticularly in the liocky Mountain 

 regions, and its sweet and simple song is one of the pleasant associations of 

 those regions. It descends, in the autumn, to the lower districts, having been 

 observed during September in the greatest abundance among the " rye-grass " 

 meadows of Senot Valley, at the northern end of the East Humboldt Eange. 

 It nests on the ground in grassy banks, in various situations. 



Dr. Suckley found this bird abundant on the Nisqually Plains, about 

 Puget Sound ; and Dr. Cooper says it is common, in summer, on the prairies 

 of the interior of Washington Territory. Dr. Cooper also found it wintering 

 in the Colorado Valley, in considerable numbers, but all disajipeared in 

 April. He thinks they breed in Northern California, thougli he has never 

 found them doing so. Dr. Xewberry states that they are common in the 

 Sacramento Valley, both in the summer and in the fall. It was found by 

 Mr. Boucard, in winter, near Oaxaca, Mexico. 



Their song is a very simple and pleasant succession of soft notes, resem- 

 bling that of the Canary, but thinner and feebler. It is begun early in the 

 morning and continued a few hours, and then renewed at sunset and kept up 

 often until after dark. It is also not unlike the song of the Song Sparrow, 

 but is neither so varied nor .so loud and strong. It continues to sing until 

 late in the season. 



They feed in the I'oad, eating insects, seeds, and grain. They are loud of 

 searching also in ploughed helds, and keep princi2>ally upon the ground, ex- 

 clusively so when they are searching for their food. 



Although as unsuspicious as the Song Sparrow or the Chi]iping Sparrow, 

 this Pinch rarely, like them, comes about the house for crumbs of bread, but 

 seems to prefer to forage for itself in the fields and by the roadside. Taken 

 from the nest, these birds may be readily tamed, and soon become very in- 

 teresting and familiar little pets, though Nuttall states that where several 

 are thus kept they become very jealous of each other, and quarrelsome. 



Their nest is always placed ujion the ground, and is very simply con- 

 structed of dry stems of grasses, witli no other lining than soft fine materials 

 of the same. They have two, and sometimes three, Iiroods in a season. 

 When their nest is aj)proached, they make use of various artifices to draw 

 away the intruder, and often vary their de^"ices in a very striking manner. 

 In May, 183(5, crossing a field within a few rods of my home in Koxburv, I 

 nearly stepped upon a female sitting upon her nest. She immediately tum- 

 bled forward ti^wards me, counterfeiting the most extraordinary lameness, 

 so nuich so that I supposed that I had really stepped upon and severely 

 injured her. I stooped to pick up what I supposed to be a wounded bii-d, 

 and found her nest and four eggs. Visiting her nest again, as I approached 

 she flew from it quietly and silently, and immediately began the same ma- 

 nceuvres, at some little distance from her nest, wliich she discontinued as 

 soon as she noticed that I was examining her treasures. These devices she 



