1908] BIRDS. 33: 



Geog. Dist. Eastern North America, from the Atlantic States 

 to the Plains. 



W. Va. Dist. Mr, Surber, in notes sent to the Biological Survey, 

 Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., says, "A rare resident 

 near White Sulphur Springs. May breed." Very common through- 

 out the state in the migrating seasons. I believe, with Mr. Surber,. 

 that this species breeds in the mountain districts of W. Ya. On the 

 17th of last June (1908), I saw several Purple Finches at Osceola, 

 Pocahontas County. In the summer time I have noted this specijs 

 in "The Pines", a black spruce forest about six miles above Pickens, 

 in Randolph County. 



Nest In coniferous tree, five to thirty feet up. Eggs, four to 

 six ; blue, spotted about the larger end with fuscous. 



Food Often devours buds and fruit blossoms, though this prun- 

 ing or cutting of buds, blossoms, or seeds of trees is not ordinarily 

 excessive. Forbush says, "This bird eats many of the seeds of" 

 the most destructive weeds, ragweed being a favorite. The Purple 

 Finch also destroys many orchard and woodland caterpillars. It 

 is particularly destructive to plant lice and cankerworms. '' 



521. American Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra minor). A pair.. 

 The curved mandibles of this little finch are to be particularly noted. 



Geog. Dist. Northern North America, and southward along .tho- 

 Alleghenies. 



W. Va. Dist. Rare. Mr. T. J. Frye, who is well acquainted with 

 this little bird in northern Pennsylvania, says, ' ' Saw 30 in a flock 

 on Bull Creek (near Waverly) in winter of 1904 or 1905." 



Nest In coniferous trees. Nest is built very early in the spring. 



Food Seeds of cone-bearing trees. 



English Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Male and female. This 

 alien species was introduced into America in 1851 or 1852. How- 

 ever, it did not spread over the country till after 1870. Becoming 

 a great pest. It has been estimated that a single pair of these 

 prolific birds might multiply until, in ten years, their progeny 

 would number 275,176,983,698! 



Geog. Dist. "Nearly the whole of Europe, extending eastward 

 to Persia and Central Asia, India, and Ceylon" (Sharpe). Intro- 

 duced into America, Australia, and New Zealand. 



W. Va. Dist. Found in all sections of the state. 



Food Forbush says it is one of the few species that deserve no 



