Birds of Indiana. 957 



That month they spread over the State. From then they are com- 

 mon until they leave in the early spring. In that migration they 

 precede the Jimcos, sometimes leaving the southern part of the State 

 early in March, and most always disappearing from our limits before 

 the middle of April. I have known them to arrive at Brookville 

 in the fall as early as October 10, but usually they are much later. 

 The following are earliest and latest dates of first arrival: Chicago, 

 111., October 5, 1895, October 20, 1894; Sedan, Ind., October 20 one 

 year, November 4, 1894; Greensburg, November 26, 1896; Bicknell, 

 November 1, 1895, November 8, 1896; Lafayette, November 3, 1894, 

 November 12, 1895. In the extreme northern part of the State, 

 in severe winters, at least, most of them move farther south, but 

 some remain, and it is truly a winter resident throughout the State. 

 They utter a chip when they come to us in the fall, and when many 

 are busily feeding together, all chipping at once, the result is a low 

 twittering that plainly tells to the watcher along its border of the 

 lively birds hidden within the weed patch. In winter, when the 

 ground is covered with snow, they often come in companies about 

 barn yards, poultry yards, and even into door yards. Toward the end 

 of their stay, they begin to sing, often ascending a high bush, or 

 even a tree, from which a fine musical selection is rendered. With 

 this period of song, they begin to gather into large flocks, which give 

 forth a full chorus some warm April morning. I have known them 

 to begin singing March 3 (1893), and to be in large flocks in full song 

 March 31 (1896). 



Examinations made by the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture show that in winter it feeds entirely upon the seeds of weeds, 

 and probably each bird consumes about one-fourth of an ounce a 

 day. Upon this basis, counting ten Tree Sparrows to an acre, it has 

 been estimated they destroy during a season's stay in the State of 

 Iowa alone, 1,750,000 pounds, which equal 875 tons of weed seed 

 (Farmers' Bulletin, No. 54, U. S. Dept. of Agr., p. 28). 



The following indicate the earliest and latest dates at which the 

 last birds were noted in spring at the places named: Brookville, 

 March 3, 1893, April 11, 1881; Greensburg, February 22, 1895; Bick- 

 nell, March 10, 1895, April 8, 1896; Lafayette, March 8, 1894, March 

 28, 1896; Sedan, April 4, 1895, April 17, 1893; Chicago, 111., March 

 22, 1886. 



