FINCHES. 171 



of that bird. Dr. Brewer says : " The spots are usually larger 

 and more scattered than in the eggs of L. borealis." 



c. The Loggerhead Shrike is chiefly an inhabitant of the 

 Southern States, and I have heard of but few instances of its 

 capture in New England or in the State of Massachusetts. It 

 is, however, says Mr. Allen, in his " Notes on the Rarer Birds 

 of Massachusetts," a summer resident at Hamilton, in Canada 

 West, on the northern shore of Lake Ontario (Mcllwraith), 

 and has been known to breed at Buffalo, New York. Wilson 

 says that u this species inhabits the rice plantations of Carolina 

 and Georgia, where it is protected for its usefulness in destroy- 

 ing mice. It sits, for hours together, on the fence, beside the 

 stacks of rice, watching like a cat ; and as soon as it perceives 

 a mouse, darts on it like a Hawk. It also feeds on crickets 

 and grasshoppers." * 



d. He adds that " its note, in March, resembled the clear 

 creaking of a sign board in windy weather." 



15. The FRINGILLID^B, or Finches, form our largest 

 family (the Warblers being second in size), and include the 

 Sparrows, Buntings, Linnets, Grosbeaks, and Crossbills. They 

 are chiefly granivorous (or at least vegetarians), and conse- 

 quently are less migratory than insectivorous birds. They are 

 very sociable among themselves, and in some cases gregarious. 

 They are clad both plainly and brilliantly, sometimes with 

 crests; and are in nearly all cases musical, sometimes very 

 highly so. Some of them are eminently field-birds, and on this, 

 account are easily observed in the country. As architects they 

 are not to be ranked high, though their nests are often very 

 neatly built. Their eggs exhibit great variety in colors and 

 markings, and two (or even three) sets of four or five are laid 

 by several species in one season, even so far to the northward 

 as Massachusetts. 



* The change of names explained in the matter quoted from Wilson is also 

 a preceding footnote would naturally no longer appropriate. As it is out of 

 require the substitution in the opening the question to rewrite the whole par- 

 lines of this paragraph of White- agraph I have decided to leave it just 

 rumped for "Loggerhead" Shrike, as it appeared in the first edition, 

 and Western for " Southern " States. I Fortunately the habits, nests, etc., of 

 should be tempted to take this liberty the two birds are not essentially dif- 

 with the original text were it not that f erent. W. B. 



