Kill XGILMIXE — Tin.; FINCHES. 547 



grassy portions of the Wost. It is ospccially ciiiuMctiiristic of tlie liiyher 

 grassy slopes of tiio elevated mountains, jiarticularly in the liocky Mountain 

 regions, and its sweet and simple song is one of tlie pleasant associations of 

 those regions. It descends, in the autunui, to the lower districts, having been 

 observed during Septemlter in the. greatest abundance .imong the " vye-grass" 

 meadows of Senot Valley, at the northern end of the Kast Humboldt liange. 

 It nests on the ground in grassy banks, in various situations. 



Dr. Suckley found this bird abundant on the Xi.squally Plains, about 

 Puget Sound; and Dr. Cooi)er says it is common, in sunnner, on tlie ])rairi('s 

 of the interior of Washington Territory. Dr. Cooper also found it wintering 

 in the Colorado Valley, in considerable numbers, but all disap])eared in 

 April. He thinks they breed in Northern California, though he has never 

 found them doing so. Dr. Newberry states that they are common in the 

 Sacramento Valley, both in the summer and in the fall. It was found by 

 Mr. Boucard, in winter, near Oaxaca, Mexico. 



Their song is a very simi)le and ]ileasant succession oi .soft notes, resem- 

 bling that of the Canary, but thinner and feeliler. It is begun early in the 

 morning and continued a fev/ hours, and then renewed at sunset and kept np 

 often until after dark. It is also not unlike the song of the Song Sparrow, 

 but is neither so varied nor no loud and strong. It continues to sing until 

 late in the season. 



They feed in the road, eating insects, seeds, and grain. They are Ibnd of 

 searching also in ploughed fields, and keej) principally upon the ground, ex- 

 clusively so when they are searching for tlieir food. 



Although as unsns])icious as the Song Sparrow or tlie Chipping Sparrow, 

 this Fincli rai'ely, like them, conies about the house for crumbs of bread, but 

 seems to prefer to forage for itself in the fields and by the roadside. Taken 

 from the nest, these birds may be readily tamed, and soon become very in- 

 teresting and familiar little pets, thougli Nuttall states that where several 

 are thus kept they become very jealous of each other, and quarrelsome. 



Their nest is always jilaced ujion the ground, and is very simi)ly con- 

 structed of dry stems of grasses, with no other lining than soft tine materials 

 of the same. They have two, and sometimes three, broods in a season. 

 When their nest is a])i)roaclied, they make use of various artiticos to draw 

 away the intruder, and often vary their devices in a very striking manner. 

 In May, 1830, crossing a field within a few rods of my home in Eoxbury, I 

 nearly ste]>ped upon a female sitting ujotu her nest. Slu' imnjediately tum- 

 bled forward towards me, counterfeiting tlie most extraordinary lameness, 

 so much so that I siqiposed that I had really ste])pe(l upon and severely 

 injured her. I stooped to pick np what I sujiposed to be a wounded bird, 

 and found her nest and four eggs. Visiting her nest again, as I api)r(«ichcd 

 she flew from it quietly and silently, and immediately began the same ma- 

 u'.euvres, at some little distance from her nest, which she discontinued as 

 soon as she noticed that I was examining her treasures. These devices she 



