OF NEW ENGLAND. 237 



(But recent!}^ detected among our English Sparrows, being 

 likewise imported birds. The following account of their ap- 

 pearance is quoted from the "American Naturalist," for Jan- 

 uary, 1876.) 



" It will interest ornithologists to know that the tree spar- 

 row of Europe {Pyrgita montana) has lately been discovered 

 to be a resident of the United States. 



" The resemblance of this species to the English house spar- 

 row has led me to be on the watch for it since the introduction 

 of the latter, but without success until I found it in St. Louis, 

 Mo., last spring. Here I found the new species abundant, but 

 was unwilling to take any until the breeding-season was over. 

 Four skins sent to Mr. G. N. Lawrence, of New York, are pro- 

 nounced by him to ' agree accurately with the plate and de- 

 scription of this species.' He also informs me that about 

 five 3^ears ago Mr. Eugene Schieflelin noticed fifty or sixty of 

 these birds in the store of a bird importer in New York, where 

 they were unrecognized ; and these were probably afterwards 

 sold as or with P. domestica. This is undoubtedly the explan- 

 ation of their occurrence here, and further search will very 

 likely show their presence in other localities. 



" With a general resemblance to the common house sparrow, 

 Pyrgita montana is readily distinguished by its chestnut crown 

 and the similarity of both sexes and the young. In St. Louis 

 it considerably outnumbers P. domestica, and, as is the case in 

 Europe, it prefers the outskirts «f the city and the country. 

 In other respects these two species closely resemble each 

 other." — Dr. James C. Merrill, If. S. Army. 



§ 16. Alaudidse. Larks. (See § 15 adjinem.) 



I. ERIMOPHILA 



(A) ALPESTRis. Shore Lark. Horned Lark. '■'■Sky Lark." 



(Quite common in Massachusetts in winter, chiefly on or 

 near the sea-shore.) 



(a). 7-7J- inches long. Above, salmon-colored brown, 

 vaguely streaked with dusky brown. Outer tail-feathers, black ; 



