586 PASSERIFORMES CHAP, 
The members of this Family generally frequent wooded dis- 
tricts and open grassy spots, Finches on the whole preferring 
the former, Buntings the latter; a few occupy sandy deserts; 
Petronia haunts rocks; Ammodramus resorts to the shore. 
This bird clings to the reeds like a Tit, a habit well-known to 
be shared by various other marsh-loving species. Camarhynchus 
and Geospiza accompany flocks of Doves to dry bushy and rocky 
spots near the sea in the Galapagos. The majority are active 
and lively birds, social and seldom shy, which flock in winter to 
feed or roost; while the pugnacity of the Sparrow is rather excep- 
tional. They not only dust themselves in dry spots, but bathe 
freely.  Montifringilla breeds in mountainous places, Leucosticte 
and Plectrophenaz in similar situations, or on rocky Arctic shores. 
The flight is ordinarily strong and rapid, some species of Sycalis, 
Phrygilus, and Calamospiza soaring, and descending with out- 
spread wings; Cactornis climbs with ease about the prickly pear 
(Opuntia), while many Finches hop well, and others run readily and 
swiftly. The song is often exceptionally fine, as in the Canary, 
Linnet, Cardinal, American Song-Sparrow (Melospiza), Chondestes, 
Zonotrichia, and elsewhere; the Bullfinch in the wild state has a 
plaintive pipe; while the chirp of Sparrows may be contrasted 
with the Cricket-like strain of Petronia brachydactyla, the 
whistling ery of the Snow-finch (Montifringilla nivalis), the long- 
drawn note of the Corn-Bunting, or the sibilant sound at times 
made by the Crossbill. The food consists mainly of seeds, but other 
fruits, buds, leaves, insects and their larvae, are also eaten, not to 
mention peas, crocus flowers, and the lke; Crossbills and some 
other forms cleverly extract the seeds of fir-cones, Camarhynchus 
and Geospiza scratch about upon the ground, and Cactornis devours 
seeds and flowers of the Opuntia. The nest varies from the huge, 
untidy domed mass of straw and feathers fashioned by Sparrows to 
the small compact cup of moss, wool, hair, down, lichen, and such 
materials, formed by the Goldfinch, Redpoll, or Chaffinch ; Haw- 
finches and Bullfinches make shallow structures chiefly composed of 
twigs and lined with roots; the British Buntings build with grass 
and horse-hair if possible; Phonipara and other species some- 
times make covered fabrics; Sycalis pelzelni occasionally utilizes 
nests of other birds. The site may be in a tree, bush, rock, build- 
ing, or on the ground, some forms nidificating under cover, some 
in the open. Sparrows have black, grey, and white eggs; those of 
