FRINGILLTD.E — THE FINCHES. 517 



the birds were started 14) by hundreds on every walk over the island. From 

 this he infers that they must be very carefully concealed. He often searched 

 i'or them, but always with the same result. Mr. Bannister regarded this 

 species as decidedly tlie best songster of its family. 



In the far North it is an exti'emely abundant species from one ocean to 

 the other, in the winter moving farther south, to the United States, in large 

 Hocks. It has not been found in California, but in the central and eastern 

 regions has been obtained as far south as Leavenworth, Kan., IJacine, Wis., 

 Bo.ston, and New York. It is stated by different observers, that, like the 

 Lark, it sings only while in motion in the air, or while suspended, and that 

 its notes are agreeable and melodious. 



According to Ilichardson, they breed in moist meadows on the shores of 

 the Arctic Sea, the nest being placed in a small hillock, among moss and 

 stones. It is composed externally of dry stems of grass, interwoven to a 

 considerable thickness, and lined very neatly and compactly with deer's hair. 

 The eggs, seven in number, he describes as pale ochre-yellow, sj:)otted with 

 brown. Sir James Eoss found them by no means numerous in the higher 

 northern latitudes, and obtained one nest, containing five eggs, in July. 



According to Ilolboll, this bird is common along the shores of both North 

 and South Greenland. They reach Godliaab in the beginning of May, and 

 Godhaven a month later. Their migrations do not take place all at once, 

 but tliey are constantly arriving during the month. It remains in South 

 Greenland until the beginning of September, and longer if the deep snows 

 do not drive it away. This bird is never met on shipboard until the vessels 

 are in Davis Strait, proving that their migrations must be from America. 

 The Greenlanders call it Narksamatak (inhabitant of the j)lains), — an ap- 

 propriate name, as it only lives on the lowlands near the sea-shore, where it 

 builds its nest in the manner of the Lark, in the grass, or among the lichens. 

 Its five eggs, of a dirty olive-color spotted with brown, are smaller than those 

 of P. nivalis. The song of the male bird, as it hovers in the air or rocks on 

 a swaying twig, is very clear and melodious. It is even known as the Green- 

 land Nightingale. Its food is seeds, and it is not known to seek insect- 

 larvffi on the houses of the Greenlanders, as does the P. nivalis. In their 

 winter dress they all resemble the female in her summer plumage, only in 

 the male some black is seen in the head-feathers. 



Fabricius describes its eggs as five or six in number, of a reddish-gray 

 with brownish spots. Degland describes their ground-color as an ashy-gray, 

 covered with spots of light brown, with lines and si)ots of deep brown, and 

 also of clear black. 



Eggs from Anderson Biver exhibit great variations in their appearance, 

 more from the difference in the distribution of their spots tlian from varia- 

 tions in colors. Where distinctly visible, the ground-color appears to be of 

 yellowish-gray, frequently so thickly spotted as not to be recognizable. The 

 blotches are of various sliades of In-own, with shadings of olive, purple, or 



