FRI\GILLID/E — THE FIN'CIIKS. 41 



rocontly boon dotocteil liy ^Fr. Hidgway in Southern Illinois, whore it is a 

 .sunimcr resident, and where it breeds, but is not abundant. It inhabits old 

 fields, where, perched u]ion a fence-stake or an old dead tree, it is described 

 as clianting a very delightful song. It was first taken on the 12th of >hi\y, 

 1871, on the road about half-way between Mount Carniel and Ohiey. The 

 bird was then seen on a fence, and .'ts unfamiliar appearance and fine song 

 at once attracted his notice as he was riding l)y. As several were heard 

 singing in the same neighborhood, it seemed coninion in that locality, and 

 as a young bird was taken in its first plumage there is no doubt that it is a 

 regular summer visitant of Southern Illinois, and breeds there. Mr. IJidg- 

 way speaks of its song as one of the finest he has ever heard, most reseni- 

 Iding the sweet chant of the Field Sparrow, but is stronger, and varied 

 l)y a clear, high, and very musical strain. He descriltes its song as resem- 

 bling the syllables tM^e'^^eimi-iut, iTit-lut, tlie first being a very fine trill 

 pitched in a very high nnisical key, the last syllable abrupt and metallic in 

 tone. 



The food of this species, Dr. Hachman states, consists of the seeds of grasses, 

 and also of coleo])terous insects, as well as of a variety of the small berries 

 so abundant in that ])art of the country. He speaks of its Higlit as swift, 

 direct, and somewhat protracted, and adds thai it is often out of sight before 

 it alights. 



Dr. Coues did not meet with this Sparrow in South Carolin.a, b>it he was 

 informed by Professor Leconte that it occurs about Columbia and elsewhere 

 in the State, frecpieuting open pine woods and old dry fields. 



Dr. 15ryant met with its nest in Florida, April 20. It was similar, in con- 

 struction, to that of the Savannah Sparrow, and contained five eggs. It was 

 the only S])arrow found by him in the pine barrens near Enterprise, and 

 was only seen occasionally, when it was a very dilficult bird to shoot, as it 

 rims round in the grass more like a mouse than a bn-d, and will not fiy 

 until almost trodden on, then moving only a few feet at a time. 



The nests of this bird, found by Dr. Bryant in Floi-ida and by Dr. <.Terhardt 

 in Northern Georgia, were all placed ui)on the ground and concealed in tufts 

 of thick grass, and constructed entirely of coarse wiry grasses, with no other 

 lining than this material. The eggs, four in number, are of a pure, almost 

 brilliant white, of a rounded oval shape, and measure .74 by .GO of an inch. 



Peucsea aestivalis var. arizonse, Kidoway. 



ABIZONA BPABBOW. 



Pewma cassini, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 486. (FiOs Nofjales specimen.) 



Sp. CnAR. (6,327 ,J, Los Nogales, Northern Sonorn, June, C. B. Kennerly.) Similar 

 to /'. wslivalis, but paler; wirig.s and tail longer. Ahove light chestnut, all the feathers 

 margined and tipped with bluish-gray, but the reddish prevailiug. Interscapular and 



VOL. ir, 



