BIRDS OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS, ETC. 69 



mostly in high open woods, but is also common in the city. 

 Breeds sparingly. Mr. Bradley Hosford showed me a 

 nest of this species, June 2d, 1863, containing young, that 

 apparently had been hatched some four or five days. The 

 nest was in a large elm, in Court Square, Springfield, 

 about ten feet from the ground, and built behind a strip of 

 thick bark that projected in such a way as to leave a pro- 

 tected cavity behind it. 



100. Sitta carolinensis Gm. White-bellied Nuthatch. 

 Resident. Very common, especially in autumn. Prefers 

 open woods, but frequents orchards in the fall and spring. 



101. Sitta canadensis Linn. Red-bellied Nuthatch. 

 Winter visitant. Usually common ; sometimes very rare. 

 Seen in the woods from the first week in October till the 

 last of April. 



The Blue-gray G-natcatcher ( Polioptila cmrulea Scl.^ 

 perhaps will be found as a rare summer visitant. 



102. Paries atricapillus Linn. Chickedee. Black-capped 

 Titmouse. Resident, and abundant at all seasons. Seems 

 to be the only Titmouse yet observed here. 



103. Eremophila cornuta Boie. Shore Lark. Sky 

 Lark. A few are seen in spring and fall. 



104. Pinicola canadensis Cab. Pine Grosbeak. Wir ' 

 visitant. Rare. Occurs in small parties at irregular in- 

 tervals. Were seen in the winter of 1859 — 60. 



105. Garpodacus purpureus Gray. Purple Finch. 

 Chiefly a spring and autumn visitant. But very few breed, 

 and rarely stragglers are met with in the winter. Rather 

 common in April, September and October, but are never 

 so abundant as I have seen them at Cambridge, where, in 

 the spring of 1863, they were the most numerous species 

 of bird for several weeks, occurring in flocks from March 

 25th to April 20th. Not uncommon in winter on Mount 

 Holyoke. (C. W. Bennett ) 



This species seems to have greatly increased in numbers, 

 in the last twenty-five years, in this State, as well as in 

 other of the Eastern States, judging from the accounts of 

 the older naturalists. 



106. Astrigalinus tristis Cab. ( Ghrysomitris tristis Bo- 

 nap.,) Yellow Bird. Goldfinch. Resident. Abundant 

 at all seasons. Breeds very late, often having unfledged 



