Coues.] 114 [October 7, 



Fam. 15. — Alaudid^. 



78. Eremophila cornuta. Shore Lark. Com. ; in flocks, Nov. to 

 middle of Mch. 



Fam. 16. — Fringtllid^. 



Such hordes of sparrows enter the Carolinas in October, and ]>ass 

 the winter, that one is ahnost tempted to believe that these States 

 form their winter quarters. The small streaked and spotted species — 

 the sj)aiTows par excellence — -mostly associated together, and are 

 sometimes seen in flocks to be numbered by thousands. During the 

 winter they frequent old corn, rice, and cotton fields, briery tracts, 

 hedgerows, etc. In the sisriug, for a few weeks before the great body 

 of tliem depart, they scatter in smaller companies through, the woods 

 and feed extensively upon buds of trees, as well as insects. The 

 extent to which our small conirostrals feed upon these articles in 

 spring, is perhaps hardly recognized, except in the cases of such birds 

 as the Carpodaci, etc. 



79. Carpodacus purpureus. Pm-ple Finch. Com.; win.; from 

 Oct. until all the buds have expanded; stragglers at least through 

 greater part of Apr. 



80. Chi-i/somitris tristls. Gold Finch. Ab. ; res. 



81. C. pinuti. PiAe Finch. Not com.; irregular; win. Nov. to 

 Apr. 



We have no record of the occurrence of either Snow Buntings, 

 Crossbills, or Redpolls, so far south; but they may possibly occasion- 

 ally stray to the Carolinas in severe winters, as even the Snowy Owl 

 is known to do. 



82. Passerctdus savanna. Savannah Sjiarrow. Very ab. ; Oct. — 

 Apr., in large flocks, with other species. In coming S. in the fall, 

 most of these birds do not stop short of the Carolinas, though a few 

 pass the winter at Washington, D. C. None breed so far S. 



83. PooccBies gramineus. Grass Finch. Extremely ab. ; win., 

 Oct. — Apr. ; a few possibly breed. The Grass Finches are particu- 

 larly fond of cotton fields; I have met with flocks of many hundreds 

 in such situations. When such a flock is startled from the ground, the 

 shadowy gray forms, inextricably confused in erratic flight, and the 

 continuous whirr of numberless wings conspire to a scene not easily 

 forgotten. The little birds soon after their arrival become extremely 

 fat, and when in this condition there are no more delicious morsels to 

 be found for the table. 



