298 GLEANINGS FROM NATURE. 



Among our winter birds none was formerly more 

 familiar than the so-called "snow-bird" or slate col- 

 ored junco. It arrives from the north about October 

 the 15th and its coming is always a precursor of the 

 winter that is to be. During the pleasant weather, 

 when the earth is bare, it seeks the shelter of such wild- 

 wood tangles as the one above mentioned. There, 



scattered among the leaves and on the 

 The Snow=bird. n , , & 



dead stems of low grasses and weeds, 



it finds its favorite food, the seeds of wild plants, 

 which it occasionally varies with such small beetles 

 or grubs ^as it may happen upon. But when such 

 food is hidden beneath a coating of ice and snow the 

 junco has to retreat from its thicket stronghold and 

 then it comes trooping about the dooryards and barn- 

 yards of man, ever ready to pick up those "crumbs 

 of comfort" which are dropped intentionally or other- 

 wise in such places. 



The snow-bird belongs to the great family of Frin- 

 gillidce which comprises the sparrows and finches, 38 

 of which are known to occur in Indiana, 17 of them 

 being found here in winter. The chief character 

 which distinguishes this family is a thick cone-shaped 

 bill which is shorter than the head and abruptly 

 angulated or drawn down at the corners of the mouth. 

 With this they can crush the hard outer shell of most 

 of the smaller seeds and feed upon the rich, nutritious 

 kernels within. The English sparrow and Canary 

 bird are two familiar members of the family. 



Although seeds form the main diet of all these birds, 

 yet, in early spring and summer when seeds are scarce, 

 they turn to insect life to furnish them sustenance ; 



