C. H. Merriam Birds of Connecticut. 43 



The English House Sparrow was first introduced into New Eng- 

 land, so far as I am aware, in the fall of 1858, when " Six birds were 

 set at liberty in a large garden" in the city of Portland, Maine. 

 "They were introduced into Boston by the city government in 

 1868,"* and have since spread over the greater part of New England. 



102. Passerella iliaca (Merrem) Swainson. Fox-colored Sparrow. 



Common during the migrations, arriving from the North during 

 the middle or latter part of October (Oct. 10, 1876, Osborne; 23, 

 1877), and remaining about a month (Nov. 20). Have taken it, in 

 spring, from March 6th to April 1 9th. Gregarious. The largest and 

 surely one of the handsomest of our Sparrows. Speaking of its song, 

 Dr. Brewer says : "His voice is loud, clear, and melodious; his notes 

 full, rich, and varied ; and his song is unequalled by any of this 

 family that I have ever heard." 



103. Euspiza Americana (Gmelin) Bonaparte. Black -throated Bunting. 



Dr. Linsley, in his *' Catalogue" takes particular pains to state 

 that this species was "very common" at New Haven (p. 261), but I 

 have never seen it here and can find no other record of its capture in 

 this State. It must be regarded as very rare in New England, 

 although several have been taken, breeding, in Massachusetts. Its 

 former abundance and present scarcity in this section affords another 

 excellent example of the irregular migrations of birds. Giraud gave 

 it as breeding commonly on Long Island,f but says the eggs are 

 " white, speckled with black," whereas they are blue, unmarked. 



1 04. GrOIliaphea Llldoviciana (Linne) Bowditch. Rose-breasted Gros- 



beak. 



A common summer resident, breeding in dense undergrowth. 

 Arrives before the middle of May (May 11, 1874, Portland, Conn., 

 Sage), and I shot a female as late as Nov. 25th, (1874), in the city. 

 I am informed by Prof. G. Brown Goode, of Middletown, Conn., that 

 he knew an individual of this species to live eighteen years in confine- 

 ment. Mr. J. Hammond Trumbull tells me that it was almost 

 unknown about Hartford, Conn., thirty-five years ago. 



NOTE. 6r. ccerulea probably occurs as an accidental visitant from 

 the South. It has been taken on the Island of Grand MenanJ and 



* Birds of North America, Baird, Brewer & Kidgway, vol. i, p. 526, 1874. 



f Birds of Long Island, p. 100. 1 844. 



\ Herrick's Partial Catalogue of the Birds of Grand Menan, p. 8. 1873. 



