120 THE Birps AsoutT Us. 
and come down to civilized regions in November 
and stay until March. They come in companies and 
remain thus associated. In their travels they some- 
times hit upon spots quite to their fancy and show 
no disposition to leave them. A flock of considerable 
size was seen December 11, 1893, in a field on 
Burlington Island in the Delaware River, and at 
this time, March 15, 1894, they are still there. If 
the food supply is sufficient, there appears to be no 
disposition to continue on the move. _ 
Wilson says,— 
‘“‘ This is the most beautiful of its genus, at least in this part of the 
world. It is one of our winter birds of passage, arriving from the 
north in the fall, usually staying with us the whole winter, frequent- 
ing sandy plains and open downs, and is numerous in the Southern 
States, as far as Georgia, during that season. They fly high in loose, 
scattered flocks, and at these times have a single cry, almost exactly 
like the Skylark of Britain. They are very numerous in many 
tracts of New Jersey, and are frequently brought to Philadelphia 
market. They are then generally very fat, and are considered ex- 
cellent eating. Their food seems principally to consist of small, 
round, compressed black seeds, buckwheat, oats, etc., with a large 
proportion of gravel. On the flat commons within the boundaries 
of the city of Philadelphia flocks of them are regularly seen during 
the whole winter. In the stomach of these I have found, in numer- 
ous instances, quantities of the eggs or larve of certain insects mixed 
with a kind of slimy earth. About the middle of March they gen- 
erally disappear on their route to the north. Forster informs us that 
they visit the environs of Albany Fort in the beginning of May, but 
go farther north to breed; that they feed on grass seeds and buds of 
the sprig birch, and run into small holes, keeping close to the ground, 
from whence the natives call them chz-chup-pi-sue.” 
The Western forms are not reported to materially 
differ in their habits. According to Warren (“ Birds 
