PIXCIIES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



283 



This report shows that in ten years the progeny of a sinj^le pair of 

 Sparrows might amoui.t to 275,716,983,098 ! It also states that during 

 the year 1886 the Sparrow added approximately 516,500 stjuaru miles 

 to the territory occupied by it. The day is evidently near at hand, 

 therefore, when the English Sparrow will be in complete possession of 

 the country. 



The EiROPKAN Tree Spaiujow [Pasner luontaiiun) lius l)ucornc nnturulizfd 

 in and ubout St. Louis, Mirtsouri. 



681* I<Ozia curvirostra minor (/inhm). American CRoflsnu.i. ; 

 Red Cuobsbm.i.. Ad. ^.— Tips of tlic mandibles crosned ; l)ody dull n-d, 

 bri);hter on thu rump, browner on the V)ack ; wings and tail fuscous. Ail. 9 . 

 Dull olive-grnen, yellower on the rump, indistinctly mottled witii bhu-kish on 

 the head and back, mi.xed with wlutish on the under parts. //«. 6 . — Similar 

 to the 9 , or mixed retl and green. L., tilit; W., ;i-4(); T., 2-i;5; li., ••;•;. 



Jiani/e. — Breeils from the Northern States northward, ami, in the Allegha- 

 nies, soutiiward to the C'arolinas; in winter wanders irregularly southward, 

 sometimes reaching the Gulf States. 



Washington, irregular W. V., sometimes abundant. Sing Sing, irregu- 

 lar; noted in almost every month. Caudiridge, of irregular occurrence at uU 

 seasons. 



AW, of twigs and grm^scs, lined with Ijits of moss and rootlet**, in conlfer- 

 oua trees, tifteen to thirty feet up. Biji/t., three to four, " pale greenisli, spotted 

 and dotted about the larger end with various shades of brown and lavender 

 shell-markings, 1-75 x '57." 



These parrotlike Finches are famous for their erratic wanderings. 

 They seem to have no regard for the laws of migration which regu- 

 late the journeys of most birds, and. having no homo ties, nuiy linger 

 in regions which offer them abundant fare without much regard to 

 season. They nest early in the spring, sometimes when they are far 

 south of their breeding range, but they seem quite unconcerned by 

 their unusual surroundings, and their young are born and raised in 

 a foreign land. 



Coniferous forests form their natural surroundings, and their bills 

 are especially adapted to aid them in forcing off the scales from the 

 cones of these trees to obtain the seed within. 



They live in flocks, and when in the trees climb aboiit like Parrots, 

 sometimes exhibiting as little fear of man as Polly on her pedestal. 

 When feeding, they have a short, whistled call-note ; they take wing in 

 a body, and their undulating flight is aecompam'ed by a sharp click- 

 ing or whistled note. Their song is described as " varied and pleas- 

 ing, but not powerful or in any respect remarkable." 



688. liOziai leucoptera Gmel. Wiute-winoed Crossi.ill. Ad. s . 

 — Tips of the mandibles crossed ; body dull pink, brighter on the rump, more 



