468 ORNITOOLOGY. 



spread denudation of the forests, the country thus undergoing a physical 

 change favorable to the habits of the species, having already become a 

 regular summer resident in many sections of the country north of the Ohio. 

 It was not noticed in Ohio, so far as the records show, previous to 1860, 

 when Mr. J. M. Wheaton first observed it in the vicinity of Columbus, near 

 the central portion of the State, and "since which time it has increased in 

 numbers, and at present (1874) is not uncommon." [See Coues' Birds of 

 the Northwest, p 234.] Single specimens have already been taken in 

 •Massachusetts and Florida, where, in course of time, the species may be- 

 come established. 



The I^ark Sparrow is essentially a prairie bird, although it i)i-efers 

 semi-wooded districts to the open prairies. It is equally common in the 

 Sacramento Valley and in southern Illinois, inhabiting in each case places 

 which are neither completely wooded nor entirely destitute of trees, and 

 evincing a marked preference for localities where oak-groves alternate with 

 meadow-lands and cultivated fields ; and in its great abundance in the 

 widely-separated districts named above, particularly when taken into con- 

 sideration with its association in both with such species as Thryomanes 

 beivlcki, Dendroeca (estiva, Icteria virens, CoUurio excuhif oroides, Chrysomitris 

 tristis, Coturniculus passerinus, Melospiza fasciata, Spizella socialis, Guiraca 

 cceridea, etc., adds to the marked similarity in the general fades of the 

 avifaunse of the two localities, the difiference between them consisting in the 

 possession by each of a small percentage of representative species and a 

 very few peculiar forms.' 



The habits of this bird are chiefly terrestrial, since it lives mostly on 

 the ground, where it may often be seen walking" gracefully along or* hop- 

 ping in the usual manner of Sparrows ; the male ascending to a fence-post, 

 the top of a small ti-ee, or other prominent object, during the delivery of 

 his song. Its habits in this respect vary greatly, however, it being quite 

 arboreal in some localities, as was conspicuously the case at Sacramento, 



' See pages 328-^32. 



* It vaay not be generally kuowu that luauy ol the teirestrial FriugillldtB.3re walU- 

 /eis as well as hopi)ers. We have oiteu seen both this species aud Melospiza fasciata 

 walking on the ground with a step as tirm aud graceful as that of a Sleadow Lark or 

 Blackbird. 



