•337.] General Notes. 



2 59 



constant so far as birds from the two regions are concerned, the compara- 

 tively very small number of specimens of intermediate character coming 

 of course from neutral territory. — Robert Ridgway, Washington, D. C. 



Spizella pusilla wintering near Hartford, Conn. — This species seems 

 to have some inclination to winter in this vicinity, as will be seen from 

 the following data: While collecting Jan. II, 1886, 1 saw four, three ol 

 which I shot for positive identification. Jan. 26, of this same rear. I saw 

 another which was in company with a flock of Spizella monticola. I 

 could not find them again during the winter of this year. On Jan. 20, 

 1SS7, noticing a small Sparrow hopping around the door-yard 1 soon ap- 

 proached it, and found it very tame, and noticed that it was a typical 

 Spizella pusilla. This bird remained around here, during a very ' cold 

 snap,' until Jan. 26, after which it suddenly disappeared. From these 

 facts, I think their stay here must have been voluntary, for the coldest 

 weather failed to drive them away, and there were several seen at different 

 times, which proves clearly enough that they were not all disabled birds. — 

 Willard E. Treat, East Hartford, Con?/. 



Change of Winter Habitat in the Grass Finch. — I take the following 

 entries from my note book : "January 2, 1S85. Shot four males from a 

 flock of twelve Pooccetes gramineus confinis, the first I ever saw here 

 in winter. They seemed to want to feed in one spot of stubble and would 

 return to it after being fired at. — Jan. 5. Saw Grass Finches. — Jan. 8. 

 Saw same flock of Grass Finches. — Jan. 12. I saw a flock of one dozen 

 Grass Finches at the school house. — Jan. 13. I saw two dozen Grass 

 Finches at the school house; think they came from the south; also 

 Savanna Sparrows, and a flock of Waxwings. Mercury 30° F. — Jan. 16. 

 Cold high wind all night. Temperature about zero. I saw three Grass 

 Finches and a Song Sparrow. — Jan. 17. Mercury 9 (above). The Grass 

 Finches are still feeding at the stock corral ; not more than half a dozen 

 seen at one time. — Jan. 22. Mercury 32°; wind E. S. E. ; rain and sleet. 

 In a two mile walk I saw a large flock of Grass Finches. In comparing 

 ten skins eight of the skins are exactly intermediate between the typical 

 gramineus and the var. confinis. One is typical gramineus, shot here 

 (Cook Co., Tex.) March 12, 18S0. One is var. confinis. shot at Colorado, 

 Tex., May 18, 18S2. — Feb. 2. 1 shot and compared three Grass Finches; 

 they seem to constantly stand between the type and the variety; the bill 

 of the western bird may be a little longer and the ear-coverts whiter or 

 graver. Size in inches : 



From the above it may be seen that the birds persisted in staving 

 through January, and my notes show that they were seen at intervals un- 

 til March 12, when they were heard singing. 



