FRINGH.LID.E — TIIM FINCHES. 5 



and f;ract'ful, and in wavinj^' undulations. On nponinji' tlio stDniachs of 

 those lie sliot at the Majj;deleino Islands, ^Fr. AndulHUi found tlicni contain- 

 ing niinuti) slioU-Hsh, coleopterous insects, hard seeiN, berries, and jivains of 

 sand. 



Xests obtained near Fort Anderson confirm the descriptions given by Mr. 

 Hutchins, as oliserved in the settlement at Hudson's Way. The eggs, which 

 are much larger than those of the other specie.s of Sjii::rf/ii, mea.sure .H,"» by 

 .0.") of an inch. Their ground-color is a light green, over which the egg.s are 

 very generally freckled with minute markings of a fo.vy brown. These 

 marking.s are distributed with great regularity, but so spansely as to leave 

 the ground distinctly visible. 



Spizella pusilla, P>(>xap. 



FIELD SFABBOW. 



Fringilla ptmllci, W „son, Am. Oni. II, 1810, 121, iil. xvi, f. 2. — Licht. Verzcich. 

 Doubl. 1823, No. 252. —Ari). Oin. Biog. II, 1834, 209, pi. c.xxxi.x. Sjnzclla puxilh, 

 BoxAi'. List, 1838. — In. Consiioetu.s, 1850, 480. — Bauii), Birds X. Am. 1858, 473. 

 — Samukls, 319. Emberiza pusilla, Arn. Syu. 1839, 104. — In. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 

 77, pi. cl.xiv. Spiniles pu.iilliis, Cah. Mus. frmii. 1851, 133. Fn'mj-'/ld Jicnivrum, 

 NUTT. Man. I, 1832, 499 (2(1 I'd.,) 1840, .';77 (supposfd liy him to be Miitacilla j it, co- 

 rum, Gmki.in, I, 952 ; Si/lviajuncorum, LAriiAM, Iiid. II, 511 ; Little liroion Sparrow, 

 CaIE.sUY, Car. I, 35). 



Sp. Char. Bill red. Crown (■onfiimous nil'oius-rod, with a laiut indication of an ashy 

 central stripe, and a.shy nuchal collar. Back somewhat similar, with shaft-.stroak8 of 

 blackish. Sides of head and neck (including a superciliary s ripe) ashy. Ear-coverts 

 rufous. Beneath white, tinged with yellowish anteriorly. Tail-feathers and quills faintly 

 edged with white. Two whitish hands across the wing-coverts. -Vutiunnal specimens 

 more rufous. Length about 5.7o ; wing, '2.34. 



IIah. p]astern North America to the Missouri River; (^an Antonio, Te.\as in winter 

 (Dresskr, Ibis, 1805, 480). 



This species is about the size of S. socinlifs, but is more rufous tibove ; 

 lacks the black forehead and eye stripe ; has chestnut ctirs, instead of ash ; 

 has the bill red, in.stead of black; lacks the clear ash of the rumji ; has a 

 longer tail, etc. It is more like montifoht, hwt is much smaller; lacks the 

 spot on the breast, and the jn-edominance of white on the wings, etc. The 

 young have the breast and sides streaked, and the crown slightly so. 



Hahits. The common Field Sparrow occupies a well-defined and some- 

 what compact area, being resident within the United States, and in its mi- 

 grations not removing far from its summer abode. In the summer it breeds 

 from Virginia to Elaine, as far as the central and western portions. It is 

 not found near Calais, but occurs and breeds near Xorway, Oxford County. 

 In the interior it is found still farther north, in Canada, Iowa, and Wiscon- 

 sin, to the lied lUver settlement.*, wliere it was found breeding by Donald 

 Gunn. At Hamilton, Ontario, Mr. Mcllwraith states it to l)e a ratiier rare 



