FINCHES. 209 



The so-called Grass Finches, though they spend much of their 

 time on the ground, often alight on the ridge-poles of barns, 

 and on fences, or on telegraph-wires, generally those by the 

 roadside, where fields are near at hand. They often venture 

 to the roads, where they pick up food, and sometimes dust 

 themselves ; and they are generally undisturbed by a near ap- 

 proach. When approached in the fields, they often run ahead, 

 if a person walks behind, occasionally "squatting," so to speak, 

 as if to rest. The whole or partial whiteness of their outer 

 tail-feathers, noticeable as the birds fly, renders the Bay- 

 winged Buntings easily recognizable. These Finches build their 

 nests in fields and pasture-lands, usually produce their first 

 set of eggs in the early part of May, and raise two or even 

 three broods in the course of one summer, so that their duties 

 to their young are often not completed until August. In the 

 latter part of that month, and later in the season, they are 

 chiefly gregarious, and, perhaps associated with Song or Sa- 

 vannah Sparrows, frequent in large flocks the roadsides, and 

 their other feeding-grounds. Their flights are less confined 

 than those of the Savannah Finches, though they are not 

 much on the wing. They are, however, bolder than those birds, 

 though like them they avoid to a certain extent the neighbor- 

 hood of houses. 



d. The song of the Bay-winged Buntings is quite loud 

 and clear, and resembles that of the Song Sparrow ; but it 

 is entirely distinct, and rather sweeter though less lively. It 

 often may be heard in the heat of a summer noon, but is more 

 often repeated towards dusk, whence the name of " Vesper 

 Sparrow." It is my impression that I have heard it once or 

 twice at night ; and I have certainly heard it in October. Their 

 ordinary note, a chip, is in no way characteristic. 



XIII. MELOSPIZA. 



A. FASCIATA. Song Sparrow. A resident in Massa- 

 chusetts throughout the year. In summer very abundant in 

 all the New England States.* 



* A summer resident of the whole of the most abundant of our birds, 

 of New England, and everywhere one Song Sparrows are seldom if ever seen 



