On Birds observed in Avielia County, Virginia. '/5 



they often utter a low call note resembling "isth," like the noise 

 made by drawing the breath between the teeth. 



CoLLUKio LUDOViciANUS (Baird.) Logger-head Shrike. — This 

 bird is by no means common. I took a pair on March the 16th 

 and 20th, and have occasionally seen a solitary individual in 

 other years. The male of the pair I took contained a number 

 of feathers of the song sparrow. 



Pyranga rubra (Vieill.) Scarlet Tanager. — This is not a 

 common bird, but a few may be seen every summer. The first 

 I have noted was on the 29th of April. They remain through- 

 out the summer, and in some years are more plentiful than in 

 others. 



Pyranga ^estiva (Vieill.) Summer Red-bird. — Common 

 throughout spring, summer, and autumn, arriving in the end of 

 April. For several years I have noticed it first on the 24th, and 

 once on the 21st of that month. At one time I thought the m?Je 

 arrived before the female, but later observations convinced me 

 that this was not the case, but the bright scarlet plumage makes 

 him a much more conspicuous object than his mate, whose dull dress 

 often causes her to be overlooked. His song is rather good, and 

 the bright colour of the male makes him a handsome object 

 among the green leaves. They are always found in the woods. 



Carpodacus purpureus (Gray.) Purple Finch. — Not com- 

 mon. Some years I have not noticed it at all. I have generally 

 found it in spring, or the end of winter, frequenting either the 

 edges of deciduous forests, or the thick pine woods. 



Chrysomitris tristis (Bonap.) American Goldfinch. — All 

 through the year they are not uncommon, but they arrive in large 

 flocks in April, and during that month are very plentiful. They 

 are locally known as the "lettuce-bird," on account of their 

 partiality for the seeds of that plant; and a large flock, if per- 

 mitted, will soon cause great havoc in a garden among the beds 

 of lettuce seeds that have been lately sown. It is an extremely 

 handsome little bird in spring and summer, and a flock of them 

 dressed in full nuptial plumage is very striking. 



Passerculus savanna (Bonap.) Savanna Sparrow. — This is 

 a winter visitor. The earliest arrival I have observed was on the 

 24th of October. They remain until quite late in the spring, but I do 

 not think any of them stay through the hot season. They are com- 



