FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 9 



At Sacramento it was also very abundant among the groves of small oaks. 

 He could not observe the slightest difl'erence in habits or notes between the 

 eastern and the western specimens of this form. He found them breeding 

 at Salt Lake City, June 19, the nest being in a scrub-oak, six feet from the 

 ground. 



In Arizona, Dr. Coues found the Chippy a very abundant summer resident, 

 arriving the third week of March and remaining until the latter part of 

 November. A few may spend the winter there. As described, it seems 

 more gregarious than it is with us, arriving in the spring, and remaining for 

 a month or more in large flocks of fifty or upwards. In New England they 

 always come in pairs, and only assemble in flocks just on the eve of their 

 departure. Mr. Dresser met with these Sparrows, and obtained specimens 

 of them, near San Antonio, on the 10th of April. Dr. Heermann, in his 

 Eeport upon the birds observed in Lieutenant Williamson's route between 

 the 32d and 35th parallels, speaks of finding this species abundant. 



Dr. Gerhardt found this Sparrow not uncommon in the northern portions 

 of Georgia, where it is resident throughout the year, and where a few remain 

 in the summer to breed. Dr. Coues also states that a limited number sum- 

 mer in the vicinity of Columbia, S. C, but that their number is insignificant 

 compared with those wintering there between October and April. They 

 collect in large flocks on their arrival, and remain in companies of hundreds 

 or more. 



Mr. Sumichrast states that it is a resident bird in the temperate region of 

 Vera Cruz, Mexico, where it remains throughout the year, and breeds as 

 freely and commonly as it does within the United States. 



Although found throughout the country in greater or less numbers, they 

 are noticeably not common in the more recent settlements of the West, as on 

 the unsettled prairies of Illinois and Iowa. Mr. Allen found them quite 

 rare in both States, excepting only about the older settlements. As early 

 as the first week in April, 1868, I noticed these birds very common and 

 familiar in the streets of St. Louis, especially so in the business part of that 

 city, along the wharves and near tlie grain-stores, seeking their food on the 

 ground with a confidence and fearlessness quite unusual to it in such situ- 

 ations. 



The tameness and sociability of this bird surpass that of any of the birds 

 I have ever met with in New England, and are only equalled by similar 

 traits manifested by the Snowbird (/. hyemalis) in Pictou. Those that live 

 about our dwellings in rural situations, and have been treated kindly, visit 

 our doorsteps, and even enter the houses, with the greatest familiarity and 

 trust. They will learn to distinguish their friends, alight at their feet, call 

 for their accustomed food, and pick it up when thrown to them, without the 

 slightest signs of fear. One pair which, summer after summer, had built 

 their nest in a fir-tree near my door, became so accustomed to be fed that 

 they would clamor for their food if they were any morning forgotten. One 



VOL. II. 2 



