124 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



76. Pyranga rubra, Vieillot. — Scarlet Tanager. — Nest containing 

 one Qgg of this species and one Cowbird's egg^ taken at Brook ville, 

 Ind., on May 17th, 1880, by Mr. Quick; it was situated in a hori- 

 zontal fork of a wild crab tree growing on sparsely wooded pasture 

 land, and is described by Mr. Quick as follows: Eight feet from 

 ground; foundation, wool and dr}- weed stalks; lining entireh' of fruit 

 stems of the wild cherry. Dimensions: outside, 4x7x2^^ inches; in- 

 side, 2^x2^x1 inches. The eggs were far advanced in incubation. 



80. Chrysomitris pinus, Bonaparte. — Pine Linnet. — Mr. Butler 

 found this species quite common at Brookville, Ind., from March 10 

 to 25, 1879, in the pine trees about his yard; he took about fifteen 

 specimens in all. 



84. Plectruphanes nivalis, Mej^er. — Snow Bunting. — This bird, 

 which had not been observed here for several j^ears, was found quite 

 plentiful at Jones Station, Ohio (about 30 miles from Cincinnati), 

 by Mr. Walter Douglass, on Januaiy 12, 1879; several specimens 

 were taken. 



86. Pyrgita domestica, Cuvier. — European House Sparrow. — The 

 "Sparrow question" has assumed such proportions in this countiy of 

 late years that a paper on the Ornitholog}" of any sparrow-inhabited 

 localit}'' would hardl}" be complete without some reference to the 

 changes constantly occurring b}^ reason of the presence of that much 

 to be regretted addition to our fauna. To the alread}' immense litera- 

 ture of the subject, I desire to add a note of the entire disappearance 

 of a large colony (several hundred, probably), of Rough-winged and 

 Cliff Swallows, that, until the past two seasons, had their summer 

 quarters and nested about the piers and under the floors of the 

 Brighton bridge over Mill Creek. These have been entirel}^ replaced 

 by the Sparrows. The disappearance of Bluebirds from long occupied 

 positions near houses, and the comparative scarcity- of Martins, both 

 due to preoccupation of their building sites by the Sparrows, are mat- 

 ters of common observation; and Mr. Dury dates the rarity of the 

 House Wren at Avondale, from the time of the Sparrow's arrival. 



96. Spizella pusilla, Bonaparte. — Field Sparrow. — I have to note 

 the capture of this species at Madison ville, December 15, 1879, its 

 first known occurrence in winter. 



— . Melospiza lincolni, Baird. — Lincohi's Finch. — Not previously 

 identified here. Two specimens taken at Brookville, Ind., May 10, 

 1879, by Mr. Shorten and mj^self. The birds were found in a deep 

 wooded ravine traversed b}^ a small stream, one of them hopping 

 about on a mass of drift in search of small aquatic insects and larvae, 

 with which its stomach was found to be filled. 



