sparrows^ Finches^ Buntings and 

 Grosbeaks. 



Order, Passeres. 

 Family, Fringillidae. 



Family Characteristics: They have very short bills for seed-eat- 

 ing. Those grouped as sparrows vary little from the English sparrow 

 in size and color. Those grouped as finches vary largely as to size 

 and color. The grosbeaks as their name implies, have remarkably 

 heavy bills and the bunting group are sparrow size but darker in color. 

 The finches are generally good singers and nest low either in the grass 

 or in bushes. They live largely on the seeds of noxious weeds, such as 

 thistle, fox-tail grass and sorrel and are therefore of very great value to 

 gardeners and farmers. Though awkward about catching insects, they 

 often vary their bread diet with a little meat. 



ENGLISH SPARROW. Passer domesticus. Six inches long. Came 

 to America in 1851. Our ever present street gamin. Too well known 

 to require close description. Constantly working and chirping. Builds 

 bulky nests in awnings, trees or any old place. Male has black upper 

 breast as most conspicuous marking. 



5 60. CHIPPING SPARROW. Spizella socialis. Called also the 

 social sparrow but he is less sociable in the west than in the east. 

 Nearly an inch smaller than the English sparrow it can be told by Its 

 chestnut crown, white line over the eye and dull ash-colored breast. 

 Its note is "Chip", "Chip", repeated at long intervals. Its nest is al- 

 ways lined with horse hair and placed higher above ground than that 

 of any of the sparrows. 



563. FIELD SPARROW. Spizella pusilla. About a half-inch small- 

 er than the English sparrow. Brown above with chestnut crown, 

 white below. Wings barred with white. Bill brownish-red. Long 

 tail. Fond of fields and low bushes. Often mistaken for the chipping 

 sparrow which, however, has a black bill. 



585. FOX SPARROW. Passerella iliaca. Nine inches long. Cin- 

 namon color on back. Darkest on wings and tail. Grayish-white be- 

 neath. Two white wing-bars. 



581. SONG SPARROW. Melospiza melodia. The size of the 



