540 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



thology of the United States Department of Agriculture, the 

 " tree sparrow " is a variety of house sparrow which has taken 

 to trees from being crowded out by too great numbers from 

 available nesting-places in the cities. Sparrows destroy young 

 buds by wantonly picking them oif. Their food is anything 

 eatable, and they drive oiF useful insect-eating birds. The 

 sparrow hawk {Falco sparverius), the northern shrike (Lanius 

 borealis), the blue jay {Cyanocitta cristata), the purple grackle 

 {Quiscalus quisGula), and other birds are its natural enemies, and 

 should be encouraged. The hose should be turned on their nests, 

 to wash and drown them out. They also make excellent pot-pie, 

 and should be shot or trapped for this purpose. Poisoned wheat 

 is an effective but risky destructive agent. Each pair of spar- 

 rows raises about twelve pairs of young per year, in about five 

 broods. 



PLEOTROPHENAX, Stejn. 

 P. nivalis, L. Snowflake. Snow Bunting. 



Bill small, with a ruff; hind claw long, but curved ; color 

 white in breeding season, with black on back, wings and tail ; 

 bill and feet black. In the United States this species is white, 

 clouded with warm brown, and the bill is pale. Length, 7 

 inches ; tail, 3 inches. A northern species, migrating south in 

 winter. 



" This beautiful bird is only occasionally seen during very 

 severe winters. But two specimens have come under the author's 

 notice, that were killed within State limits." — [C. C. A.] 



CALCARIUS. Bechst. 



C lapponicus, L. Lapland Longspur. 



Bill larger, without ruff; hind claw nearly straight ; male 

 with head and throat mostly black ; a chestnut collar ; back black 

 and streaky, whitish below ; outer tail feathers with white ; legs 

 and feet black ; female and winter birds with less black. Length, 

 6^ inches ; tail, 2| inches. A northern form ; ranges south in 

 winter, even to the Carolinas at times. 



