LAEK SPARROW 237 



The flight of the Redpolls is not very high, and 

 they move along in undulating lines. In general 

 habits they are said to resemble the Goldfinch. 

 Like the other winter Finches, they live on weed 

 seed, and Mr. Oberholser has seen flocks of sev- 

 eral hundred feeding on a field grown up with 

 ragweed, one of the worst of pests. 



Lark Sparrow : Chondestes grammacus. 



Stripes on crown and sides of head chestnut, striking- ; tail black, 

 feathers showing white in flight ; black spot on breast. 

 Length, 6 inches. 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. Interior of North America, 

 eastward to Alabama, Ohio, and Michigan; breeds from 

 Texas northward to Manitoba; accidental on the Atlantic 

 coast (Massachusetts, Long Island, New Jersey, District of 

 Columbia, Florida). 



In Ohio the Lark Sparrow is found in " sparsely 

 wooded pastures or neglected fields bordered with 

 low trees," Doctor Wheaton 

 tells us, and he considers its 

 song unrivaled in the Spar- 

 row choir. He calls atten- 

 tion to its habit of walking, 

 rather than hopping as the 

 other Sparrows do, and says 

 that in parts of Illinois it FlG - 147 - 



is known as the ' Quail Lark Sparrow. 



Head,' from a superficial resemblance in color and 

 its Quail-like habit of running after its fellows 

 with lowered head, drooping wings, and expanded 



