FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 519 



Habits. This species was first obtained by Sir John Eichardson's party^ 

 and described by Swainson in the Fauna Boreali- Americana. It was ob- 

 served associating with the Lapland Buntings on the banks of the Saskatche- 

 wan, but no information was obtained in regard to its breeding-habits. Ko 

 specimens in the mature plumage are known to have been obtained in the 

 United States, but birds in the immature plumage are not unfrequent, in 

 early spring, throughout Illinois. Mr. Audubon, in company with Mr. Har- 

 ris and Mr. Bell, obtained specimens of these birds near Edwardsville, and 

 described them as a new species. Mr. Bell states, in regard to these birds, 

 that he found them very abundant on the low prairie near a lake, a few miles 

 from Edwards\'ille. They were generally in large flocks, and when once 

 on the ground they began to separate. They ran very nimbly, in a manner 

 resembling that of the Grass Finch, and when they arose, which they rarely 

 did unless they were nearly approached, they uttered a sharp click, repeated 

 several times in quick succession, and moved with an easy undulating motion 

 for a short distance and then alighted very suddenly, seeming to fall perpen- 

 dicularly several feet to the ground. They preferred the spots where the 

 grass was shortest. When in the air they flew in circles, to and fro, for a few 

 minutes, and then alighted, keeping up a constant chirping or call, somewhat 

 like that of the Eed-Poll. 



These birds were observed in large numbers at Fort Anderson, and on the 

 Lower Anderson River, by Mr. MacFarlane, and a large number of their 

 nests obtained. These were all on the ground, and usually in open spaces, 

 but also in the vicinity of trees. The usual number of eggs found in a nest 

 appears to have been four. The nests, for the most part, were constructed 

 of fine dry grasses, carefully arranged, and lined with down, feathers, or finer 

 materials similar to those of the outer portions. In a few there were no feath- 

 ers ; in others, feathers in different j^roportions ; and in a few the down and 

 feathers composed the chief portion of the nest, with only a few leaves as a 

 base to the nest. They were sometimes sunk in excavations made by the 

 birds, or placed in a tussock of grass, and, in one instance, placed in the 

 midst of a bed of Labrador tea. 



They were also obtained at Fort Yukon, at the mouth of Porcupine Eiver, 

 by Strachan Jones. They were much more abundant in the Mackenzie Eiver 

 district. 



Specimens of this bird, in the fall plumage, were obtained from Fort 

 Simpson, where Mr. B. E. Eoss states that it appears on its way north in 

 May. They resort to the fields around the fort in search of grain. Although 

 these birds keep entirely apart from the P. nivalis, Mr. Eoss has frequently 

 observed several P. lapponicus associating with them. 



When their nests are approached, the female quietly slips off, while the 

 male bird may be seen hopping or flying from tree to tree in the neighbor- 

 hood of the nest, and will at times do all he can to induce intruders to with- 

 draw from the neiuliborhood. 



