I2O THE BIRDS ABOUT Us. 



and come down to civilized regions in November 

 and stay until March. They come in companies and 

 remain thus associated. In their travels they some- 

 times hit upon spots quite to their fancy and show 

 no disposition to leave them. A flock of considerable 

 size was seen December u, 1893, in a field on 

 Burlington Island in the Delaware River, and at 

 this time, March 15, 1894, they are still there. If 

 the food supply is sufficient, there appears to be no 

 disposition to continue on the move. 

 Wilson says, 



" This is the most beautiful of its genus, at least in this part of the 

 world. It is one of our winter birds of passage, arriving from the 

 north in the fall, usually staying with us the whole winter, frequent- 

 ing sandy plains and open downs, and is numerous in the Southern 

 States, as far as Georgia, during that season. They fly high in loose, 

 scattered flocks, and at these times have a single cry, almost exactly 

 like the Skylark of Britain. They are very numerous in many 

 tracts of New Jersey, and are frequently brought to Philadelphia 

 market. They are then generally very fat, and are considered ex- 

 cellent eating. Their food seems principally to consist of small, 

 round, compressed black seeds, buckwheat, oats, etc., with a large 

 proportion of gravel. On the flat commons within the boundaries 

 of the city of Philadelphia flocks of them are regularly seen during 

 the whole winter. In the stomach of these I have found, in numer- 

 ous instances, quantities of the eggs or larvae of certain insects mixed 

 with a kind of slimy earth. About the middle of March they gen- 

 erally disappear on their route to the north. Forster informs us that 

 they visit the environs of Albany Fort in the beginning of May, but 

 go farther north to breed ; that they feed on grass seeds and buds of 

 the sprig birch, and run into small holes, keeping close to the ground, 

 from whence the natives call them chi-chup-pi-sue" 



The Western forms are not reported to materially 

 differ in their habits. According to Warren (" Birds 



