242 ZOOLOGY— BIRDS. 



tation. the House Finch, as its name implies, seems most at home when it 

 has taken up its residence within the limits of civilization, and with the 

 change of habitat there ensues a corresponding modification of its habits. 

 It loses wholly the rather shy suspicious disposition which it possesses in 

 the solitude of the wilderness, and appears willing to meet man more than 

 half-way in his efforts to induce it to take up its abode in the towns, 

 where, in Arizona and New Mexico, if it does not receive a warm welcome, 

 it is at least tolerated ; and, once permitted to establish itself, there seems 

 to 1)0 no limit to its confiding familiarity. In this, as well as the noisy 

 chirpings and twitterings with which they greet each other, and especially 

 in their habit of availing themselves of every nook and corner about 

 the house and outbuildings to place their nests, they recall to mind the 

 English Sparrows as they are domiciled in the East. Indeed, I am by 

 no means certain but that, if introduced here in our cities, and the same 

 care and painstaking given them which has been afforded to the foreign 

 strangers, they might live and thrive, and be found almost, if not quite, as 

 useful as insect exterminators as appear to be the English Sparrows. 



The nature of their food is very varied, and, besides insects, to obtain 

 which they resort to the trees and bushes, they may be seen in the Mexican 

 settlements hopping about the doors of the houses in search of the crumbs 

 and refuse thrown out ; while the stable yards and corrals are favorite 

 resorts. In one point, at least, their advantage over the sparrows would be 

 decided, and readily appreciated, since, instead of being entirely deficient 

 in musical ability, they possess a really beautiful song, and, as if aware of 

 this, they are prodigal of their efforts to please the ear. In summer, a dozen 

 or more may often be seen sitting together on the rafters and eaves of the 

 houses, or in the trees along the streets, apparently engaged in a real musi- 

 cal contest, several of the males pouring forth for some minutes an almost 

 continuous stream of music, as if each were doing his best to outrival the 

 others. 



Apparently rather rare in the vicinity of Fort Garland, Colo.; but at 

 Taos, N. Mex., seventy-five miles farther south, I saw great numbers. A 

 large colony had established their nests in the interstices of a thatched roof 

 of a shed directly adjoining the house. These nests were bulky, inartistic 



