1908] BIRDS. 37 



Food Weed seeds in great abundance. Destroys many May 

 flies, leaf hoppers, and sawflies. 



567. Slate-colored Junco (Junco hyemalias) . Male and female. 

 Commonly called "Snow bird". 



Geog. Dist. North America, chiefly east of the Rocky Mountains. 



W. Va. Dist. Common in winter. In the mountains of the state 

 the Carolina Junco (Junco hyemalis carolinensis) , a sub-species 

 that is very similar to the Slate-colored Junco, may be found 

 breeding in great abundance. On the highest mountain in W. Va., 

 Spruce Knob, the Carolina Junco nests in considerable numbers. 



Nest On or near the ground. The Carolina Junco prefers to 

 place its nest among the roots of an up-turned black spruce tree. 

 However, on the top of Spruce Knob, all the nests that were found 

 were placed in a sheltered spot on the ground. Evidently the nests 

 were thus placed that they might have greater protection from the 

 winds that blow almost constantly in such high and exposed places. 

 Eggs, four or five, white or bluish white with small spots of rufous- 

 brown. 



Food Mostly pernicious weed seeds. 



581. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). Male and female. 

 This bird may be known by his black "breat pin". 



Geog. Dist. Eastern United States to the Plains, breeding from 

 Virginia northward to the Fur Countries. 



W. Va. Dist. Perhaps no other species is more generally dis- 

 tributed within our state. Especially common along streams. In 

 abundance along the Elk, Great Kanawha, and Ohio Rivers. In 

 the Webster County glades I found it to be one of the most common 

 species. In August, 1906, I found this species breeding high up in 

 the Back Allegheny Mountains. 



Nest One summer I found two nests of this species. The first 

 was in a depression in the ground, at least six inches in depth ; the 

 second was on top of a board fence where wild fox grape vinos 

 liad grown into a cluster thus supporting the nest that was saddled 

 on the top-most board of the fence. 



Food Many weed seeds such as the polygonum, crab grass, 

 and pigeon grass. Harmful insects, such as caterpillars and plant 

 lice, make up 18 per cent of the food. 



584. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana}. A pair. A quiet 

 and elusive species. 



