METHODS OF BIRD STUDY 49 



Family Fringillidtt (fringilla, "a finch") sparrows, finches. Types: 



Purple finch ( .'arpddacus purpureus. 



American goldfinch Astragalinus trixtix. 



English sparrow Passer domesticus. 



White-throated sparrow ZonotricJtia alblcdll'ts. 



Tree sparrow Spizella monticola. 



Chipping sparrow Spizella pasatfirina. 



Junco Junco Jtyemdiis. 



Song sparrow Melospiza melot/ia. 



Fox sparrow Passerella iliaca. 



Towhee, chewink Pipilo eryikpophthdlmus. 



Rose-breasted grosbeak Zamelodia ludovicidna. 



Indigo bunting Passerina ct/dnea. 



The problems in this group are the valuable service rendered by all 

 the sparrows in weed-seed destruction; and, also, the damage caused 

 by the English sparrow. A single observation of the killing of a tret' 

 swallow or a bluebird by sparrows, or their eating the eggs from a rob- 

 in's nest, is usually enough to convince a person of the advisability of 

 ridding the neighborhood of these pests. The year after all agree, the 

 English sparrow may be banished from the continent into which it was 

 so foolishly introduced in 1851. Until all agree, not much headway can 

 be made against a species that has the power to increase from a single, 

 pair to 275,716,983,698 in ten years. 



Family Tanagrida the tanagers. The scarlet tanager Pirdnga er;/- 

 thromflas. Why are not these beautiful birds more numerous in your 

 locality ? 



Family HirundinidGt swallows and martins. Few more efficient, and 

 certainly no more agreeable, insect traps exist than the swallows. They 

 should all be protected until they increase up to the limit of their insect 

 food. The purple martin and tree swallow nest preferably in bird houses, 

 and provision about barns should not be lacking for the cliff and barn 

 swallows. Differences in nesting habits in species so closely related are 

 of general interest. Types : 



Purple martin Proyne subis. 



Cliff, or eaves, swallow Petrochelidon lunifronx. 



Barn swallow Hirundo erythrogdstra. 



Tree swallow Iridoprocne tricolor. 



Bank swallow Ripdria ripdria. 



