FINCHP]S, SPARROWS, ETC. 



271 



BB far nortli os IVniwylvunia, nnd nortli of this eastward to Connecticut ond 

 iiortliwiinl to Lalnailor ; winters in tlie lower Mi^sissljipi Valley. 



\Va»*liin),'toi>. Hire T. V., l)etweeM Feb. -M aiul Apl. I.">. Sin^' Sin;.', toleru- 

 oly common T. V., Apl.; Nov. Cambridge, abundant S. R., Meh. to Oct.; 

 occuwioiuil in winter. 



'•Tlio f,'i'iit'ral habit.s of the Rfonzed Qniekle are in all respects 

 identical with those of the I'lirpU; (Jraclile. . . . 



"From an alino.st e(iual familiarity with the two birds we are able 

 to say tliat their notes differ decidedly, especially those of the male 

 duriiijf the brwding season, the 'song' of the western birds being very 

 much louder and more musical or metallic than those of its eastern 

 relative" (liidgway). 



613« QuiscailuB major Viiill. lioAT-TAii.KD Ckacklk. Ail. $.— 

 Glo^<sy blui.'ili black ; head, throat, and brea«t more iiurplisli, wings and tail 

 more blackish. Ail. 9 . — Mucli sniuller, ujnier part.s blackihh brown, under 

 parts soiled ochruceous-butf. 6 L., ItJUU; \V., 7v')<'; T., 7"0U; H., 1 •.").'>. 



yi'(i//yc.— Floritla; north along the Atlantic coa.st to Virginia; west along 

 the Gulf coast to Te.vos. 



At«^, bulky and compact, of gras.sc8, seaweed, etc., with a median layer of 

 nmd or partially decayed vegetation, in colonies in bu.shes. A';/[/«, three to 

 five, pale bluish white, frequently tingeil with vinaccous-brown, singularly 

 spotted, blotched, and scrawled with purplish or blackish, 132 x ■DO. 



Boat-tail Grackles are rarely if ever found far from water. Shal- 

 low lakes or marshy lagoons grown with acpuitic plants are their fa- 

 vorite resorts. Here they may be seen in small groups, which usually 

 contain more males than females, walking or jumping from plant to 

 plant, sometimes .springing into the air to catch a passing insect, or 

 wading along the shore in search of food. 



Their usual notes are hoarse, rather forced whistles; more rarely 

 they utter a singular rolling call, which bears a close resend)lance to 

 the sound produced by a Coot in pattering over the water. 



Family Fringilud^. Finches. Sparrows, etc. 



This, the largest family of birds, contains .some five hundred and 

 fifty species, which are represented in all [)arts of the world except 

 the Au.stralian region. Its members present wide diversity of form 

 and habit, but generally agree in possessing stout, conical bills, which 

 are admirably adapted to crush seeds. They are thus chief among 

 seed-eaters, and for this reason are not so migratory as insect-eating 

 species. 



The brown, streaked Sparrows are, to a large extent, field- or plain- 

 inhabiting, and their neutral colors are therefore a means of protec- 

 tion in the exposed situations they inhabit. The brighter Grosbeaks 



