504 NORTH AMEHirAN l?IRnS. 



alight in flocks. Tlioir food consists of tin.- soeils of gi-ass and other small 

 plants, which they collect on the jj;roun(l. 



A single specimen of this hird was siiot in Massaclmsetts in 1845, by Mr. 

 Samuel Jillson. It was taken in (iloucester, on tlu^ coast, where its appear- 

 ance was, of course, jiurely accitlental. 



We are indebted to the careful ol)servations of Mr. Ridgway for tiie prin- 

 cipal portion of our knowledge of the manners and mode of life of this 

 species, which he has recently ascertained to be an abundant summer resi- 

 dent in Southern Illinois. It is probably equally abundant throughout the 

 State, and is i'onnd as far east as (Jhio, where it becomes rare. 



The Prairie Lark-Finch was found by that accurate observer very abundant 

 at Sacramento, Cal., where it frequented alike the oak groves, the cottonwood 

 and willow copses, and the weedy fields and meadows. At Sacr.unento it was 

 eminently arboreal, ({uite in contrast with its habits as observed in Illinois. It 

 was also met with in the interior, wherever the locality was suited to it. Near 

 Salt Lake City it is one of the most numerous oi' the birds inhabiting the 

 artemisia grounds, in the outskirts of the town, in company with Poospiza 

 hilinenta and Spizdla hrnocri. It is called by the Utah l)oys the Snake-Iiird, 

 from the supposed rose .iblance of its striped head to that of a snake. At 

 Sacramento it is greatly prized as a cage-bird, and young l)irds readily sell 

 there for four dollars a pair. He states that the delightful song of this bird 

 has no jiarallel among the North American Frivffillida; and claims that in 

 this respect it is pre-eminently superior to that of all the other members of 

 this family. As it perches ujion the summit of a small tree, on the telegraph 

 wire, or upon a fence, its notes may be heard throughout the day, in the 

 morning before those of any others, and late in the evening, when all except 

 for this irrepressible songster is silence. 



The song of this species is described as composed of regularly divided 

 parts, almost perfect in compass, in vigor and continuity unsuriuis.sed, if not 

 une(jualled, by any other North American species. It begins with a series 

 of chants, the style reminiling one somewhat of the Cyanonpiza cyanea, but 

 each .syllable loud, rich, and clear, and uttered with a peculiar emotional trill, 

 the whole seemingly delivered in a hurried manner, in one continuous gush 

 of sprightly silvery notes, each accompanied by a metallic tremolo. As if 

 exhausted, the singer falters, and the notes become scarcely audible, then 

 suddenly reviving, as if in great joy, the song is resumed in all its vivacity, 

 until the bird at last really appears to be overcome by its efforts. 



Dr. Coues met with this s])ecies in Arizona in the winter. He writes me 

 as follows : " The most eastern point where I observed this sp(3cies was at 

 St. Louis, Mo. I saw a good many in the suburbs of that city in May, 1865. 

 It is one of the most abundant Sparrows about Fort Whipple, ]mrticularly 

 (luring the migrations ; the majority pass northward in April and May, but 

 many lireed in the vicinity, and some pass the winter in sheltered situations. 

 It is generally seen in com])anies, frequenting the skirts of woods, the under- 



