RARER BIRDS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 635 



has taken this species at Holyoke, a single specimen in 

 May, 1866. Dr. Brewer informs me he has found it breed- 

 ing at Hingham. The species is still known, however, as 

 only a straggler from the southward. 



CARDINAL. RED BIRD. Cardinalis Virginianus Bon. 

 Four specimens of this bird were taken near Springfield in 

 October, 1866. Mr. W. H. Niles observed it at Belcher- 

 town the last week of October, 1868, and at Southampton 

 May 5th, 1869. As these form all the recent authentic in- 

 stances of its occurrence in the state, it can only be regarded 

 as an accidental visitor. It has been questioned whether in 

 the previous instances of its capture here the specimens 

 taken were not birds that had escaped from cages. In all 

 probability they were, however, wild birds. 



EUROPEAN HOUSE SPARROW. Passer domestica Leach. 

 The few pairs turned loose in the Boston Common a few 

 years since seem to be slowly increasing in numbers, and bid 

 fair to be of great service in checking the ravages of several 

 species of caterpillars that now greatly injure the foliage of 

 the shade trees. These interesting birds are now frequently 

 observable both on the Common and in the Public Garden. 



EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH. Carduelis elegans Steph. Feb- 

 ruary 28th, 1865, 1 saw a single male on Quincy street, Cam- 

 bridge, that had probably escaped from a cage. It was 

 feeding on the seeds of the larch and appeared fully at 

 home. Its notes first drew my attention to it, which, while 

 so much resembling those of our common Yellow Bird, yet 

 differ from them in surpassing in sweetness the pleasant 

 warble of that favorite bird. I doubt not that if a consider- 

 able number of European Goldfinches should be introduced 

 into New England the species would soon become acclimated 

 and generally distributed. 



SERIN FINCH. Serinus meridionalis Brehm. A specimen 

 of this European species was taken near Springfield in No- 

 vember, several years since. It may have been a cage bird 

 that had escaped. 



