586 PASSERIFORMES 



CHAP. 



The members of this Family generally frequent wooded dis- 

 tricts and open grassy spots, Finches on the whole preferring 

 the former, Buntings the latter ; a few occupy sandy deserts ; 

 Petronia haunts rocks ; Ammodramus resorts to the shore. 

 This bird clings to the reeds like a Tit, a habit well-known to 

 be shared by various other marsh-loving species. CamarJiyncJius 

 and Geospiza accompany flocks of Doves to dry bushy and rocky 

 spots near the sea in the Galapagos. The majority are active 

 and lively birds, social and seldom shy, which flock in winter to 

 feed or roost ; while the pugnacity of the Sparrow is rather excep- 

 tional. They not only dust themselves in dry spots, but bathe 

 freely. Montifringilla breeds in mountainous places, Leucosticte 

 and Plectrophenax in similar situations, or on rocky Arctic shores. 

 The flight is ordinarily strong and rapid, some species of Sycalis, 

 PJirygilus, and Calamospiza soaring, and descending with out- 

 spread wings ; Cactornis climbs with ease about the prickly pear 

 (Opuntia), while many Finches hop well, and others run readily and 

 swiftly. The song is often exceptionally fine, as in the Canary, 

 Linnet, Cardinal, American Song-Sparrow (Melospiza\ Chondestes, 

 Zonotrickia, and elsewhere ; the Bullfinch in the wild state has a 

 plaintive pipe ; while the chirp of Sparrows may be contrasted 

 with the Cricket - like strain of Petronia IracJiydactyla, the 

 whistling cry of the Snow-finch (Montifringilla nivalis), the long- 

 drawn note of the Corn-Bunting, or the sibilant sound at times 

 made by the Crossbill. The food consists mainly of seeds, but other 

 fruits, buds, leaves, insects and their larvae, are also eaten, not to 

 mention peas, crocus flowers, and the like ; Crossbills and some 

 other forms cleverly extract the -seeds of fir-cones, CamarJiynclius 

 and Geospiza scratch about upon the ground, and Cactornis devours 

 seeds and flowers of the Opuntia. The nest varies from the huge, 

 untidy domed mass of straw and feathers fashioned by Sparrows to 

 the small compact cup of moss, wool, hair, down, lichen, and such 

 materials, formed by the Goldfinch, Eedpoll, or Chaffinch ; Haw- 

 finches and Bullfinches make shallow structures chiefly composed of 

 twigs and lined with roots ; the British Buntings build with grass 

 and horse-hair if possible ; PJionipara and other species some- 

 times make covered fabrics ; Sycalis pelzelni occasionally utilizes 

 nests of other birds. The site may be in a tree, bush, rock, build- 

 ing, or on the ground, some forms nidificating under cover, some 

 in the open. Sparrows have black, grey, and white eggs ; those of 



