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GRASS FINCH, OR BAY-WINGED BUNTING. 



Fringilla graminea, Gmel. 



PLATE XCIV. Vol.. I. p. 473. 



This extremely abundant species extends its migrations to the shores 

 of the Columbia River, where it was procured by Dr Towns end ; and 

 it is mentioned by Dr Richardson as one of the birds that reach the 

 prairies of the Saskatchewan early in May, to depart in September. 

 In these distant localities it breeds on the ground, as it is wont to do in 

 our own Middle Districts, as far south as Maryland. During winter it 

 is found in astonishing numbers about all the old fields in South Carolina, 

 Georgia, the Floridas, and Alabama. The eggs measure seven-eighths 

 of an inch in length, seven -twelfths in breadth, with a bluish-white 

 ground, almost entirely covered Avith undefined markings of pale red- 

 dish-brown, more closely set towards the larger end ; but they vary much, 

 some being almost white. I have found many nests of this species on 

 Chelsea Beach, in July and August. 



The following accoimt of its manners while incubating, is from Dr 

 T. M. Brewer : — " There are few of om* Sparrows that employ a greater 

 variety of artifice to decoy their chief enemy, man, from the young or 

 eggs. The situation of the nest, which is usually placed on the ground 

 in dry sandy fields, without the least pains at concealment, renders stra- 

 tagem peculiarly necessary to this bird. In the morning of May 1836, 

 as I was crossing a dry sandy field, I almost trode upon a female of this 

 species, as she was sitting on her nest. She was exactly the coloTir of 

 the surrounding soil, and was therefore unperceived by me, and another 

 step would have inevitably brought me upon her, when she tumbled for- 

 ward and imitated lameness so perfectly, that it was with the utmost difii- 

 culty I could prevent myself from being deceived and following her. 

 The stratagem, however, was of no avail : I stopped, examined the eggs, 

 which were four in number, and left them. The following morning I 

 again visited the spot, but this time the stratagem was dififerent. She 

 left her nest, flew to a spot several rods distant, and manifested the 

 greatest anxiety about the place on which she alighted, so that a stran- 

 ger, not seeing her flight, would have supposed her nest to be at quite 



