RED-POLL LINNET— PURPLE FINCH— SAVANNA SPARROW— PINE FINCH. 



69 



obliged to supply itself with food, by being obliged to draw toward 

 its bill a little chariot filled with seeds. The length of this species 

 is five inches, and its breadth eight inches. 

 (See page 84 for Fig. 8.) 



The Red-poll Linnet. (^Egiothus Unarius.) 



Fig. 9. 



The habitat of this species ranges from the Atlantic to the Pa- 

 cific, and in winter to the South in flocks, at which season it is 

 also met with in the Middle and Western States. According to 

 Richardson, this is one among the few hardy and permanent resi- 

 dents in the fur countries, where it may be seen in the coldest 

 weather, on the banks of the lakes and rivers, hopping among 

 the reeds and canes, or clinging to their stalks. They are nu- 

 merous throughout the year, even in the most northern districts, 

 and from the rarity of their migrations into the United States, it 

 is obvious that they are influenced by no ordinary causes to evacu- 

 ate the regions in which they are bred. Famine, in all proba- 

 bility, or the scarcity of food, urges them to advance toward the 

 south. It is certain that they do not forsake their natal regions to 

 seek shelter from the cold. A similar species is at home through- 

 out Europe. 



When in a wild state, elder-berries are its favorite food, though 

 it also eats linseed, rape-seed, etc., moistening all its food in its 

 crop before subjecting it to the process of digestion. Wilson says : 

 "They seem particularly fond of the seeds of the common elder, 

 and hang, head downward, while feeding, in the manner of the 

 Yellow-bird. They seem extremely unsuspicious at such times, 

 and will allow a very near approach without betraying any s} r mp- 

 toms of alarm." 'After being shot at," says Nuttall, " they only 

 pass on to the next tree, and resume their feeding as before. 

 They have a quailing call perfectly similar with that of the Yellow- 

 bird, twee twee, or tshe-v'ee; and when crowded together in flight, 

 make a confused chirping Hwit ^itwit Hwit Hwit 'twit, with a rat- 

 tling noise, and sometimes go ofF with a simultaneous twitter." 

 This species is commended mostly on account of the beauty of its 

 plumage. "It may, however, be taught," says Bechstein, "to 

 draw up its own water, and perform other similar feats, as well 

 as to eat out of its master's hand." It is a very affectionate bird, 

 constantly caressing not only its own mate, but even Linnets, 

 Goldfinches, Siskins, and Canaries, if confined in the same cage. 

 It seems, therefore, not improbable that it might be induced to pair 

 with some, if not all of these. "The nest," says Selby, "is 

 built in a bush or low tree, such as willow, elder, or hazel, of 

 moss and the stalks of dry grass, intermixed with down from the 

 catkin of the willow, which also forms the lining, and renders it a 

 particularly soft and warm receptacle for the eggs and young. 

 The eggs are four or five in number ; their color, pale bluish- 

 green, spotted with orange-brown, principally toward the larger 

 end." This species is five inches and a quarter long, and eight 

 inches and a half broad. 



The Purple Finch. {Carpodacus purpureus.') 



Fig. 10. 



This is a fine-looking bird, and it has a beautiful warbling song. 

 But in consequence of its bad habit of cutting off and eating the 

 buds and blossoms of fruit-trees, it is much disliked by the farmers 

 and fruit-growers. Of its habits, Wilson says : " This is a winter 

 bird of passage, coming to us in large flocks from the north in 

 September and October; great numbers remaining with us in 

 Penns}-lvania during the whole winter, feeding on the seeds of 

 the poplar, buttonwood, juniper, cedar, and on those of many 

 rank weeds that flounsh in rich bottoms and along the margin of 

 creeks. When the season is very severe, they proceed to the 

 South, as far at least as Georgia, returning north early in April. 



They now frequent the elm-trees, feeding on the slender but sweet 

 covering of the flowers ; and, as soon as the cherries put out their 

 blossoms, feed almost exclusively on the stamina of the flowers. 

 Afterward the apple-blossoms are attacked in the same manner ; 

 and their depredations on these continue till they disappear, which 

 is usually about the 10th or middle of May. . . . About 

 the middle of September, I found these birds numerous on Long 

 Island, and around Newark, in New Jersey. They fly at a con- 

 siderable height in the air; and their note is a single chirp, like 

 that of the Rice-bird. They possess great boldness of spirit, 

 and when caught, bite violently, and hang by the bill from your 

 hand, striking with great fury; but they are soon reconciled to 

 confinement, and in a day or two are quite at home. I have kept 

 a pair of these birds upward of nine months to observe their man- 

 ners. One was caught in a trap, the other was winged with the 

 gun. Both are as familiar as if brought up from the nest by the 

 hand, and seem to prefer hempseed and cherry-blossoms to all 

 other kinds of food. Both male and female, though not crested, 

 are almost constantly in the habit of erecting the feathers of the 

 crown. They appear to be of a tyrannical and domineering dispo- 

 sition ; for they nearly killed an Indigo-bird, and two or three 

 others that were occasionally placed with them, driving them 

 into a corner of the cage, standing on them, and tearing out their 

 feathers, striking them on the head, munching their wings, etc., 

 till obliged to interfere ; and, even if called to, the aggressor would 

 only turn up a malicious eye for a moment, and renew his outrage 

 as before. They are a hardy, vigorous bird." 



Within late years there seems to be a greater increase of this 

 species, and it is now considered a common bird, particularly in 

 spring and fall. The nest is usually built in a pine or cedar tree, 

 and is sometimes thirty or even forty feet from the ground — oftener 

 about fifteen or twenty. It consists of fine roots and grasses, and 

 is lined with horse-hair, mosses, and hogs' bristles. The eggs are 

 of a bluish-green color, and marked with spots and streaks of 

 black. Two broods are often reared in the season. This species 

 is six inches long, and in extent it is nine inches. 



PLATE XLIX. 



The Savanna Sparrow. (Passcrculus savanna.) 

 Fig. 1. 



In colors, this bird has a close general likeness to other species 

 of the family of Finches — a fact which renders it absolutely nec- 

 essary to represent all the different species, so that they may be- 

 come more familiar. 



It may safely be said to be abundant in all parts of North 

 America — in the fields, on the plains, and by the waysides. In 

 winter, it is mostly met with along the seashore, near the low 

 countries on the Atlantic coast, where the seeds and insects they 

 feed on are most abundant. Its nest is made in the grass, and is 

 composed of fine grasses and roots, neatly interwoven. They 

 usually lay four eggs, grayish-white or pale greenish, and are 

 slightly spotted. Their mating song is simple and melodious, 

 resembling the syllables 'chewie, 'chewilt, 'chewitt, 'chew'e-et, 

 'ckew'ee. It also has a quite faint, yet shrill, chirp, somewhat 

 similar to the chirpings of a cricket. This species is four and a 

 half inches long, and eight and a half broad. 



The Pine Finch. {Chrysomitris pinus.) 



Fig. 2. 



Although this species, as its name implies, is mostly found in- 

 habiting the groves and pine forests, it may also be seen frequent- 

 ing the shady, sheltered borders of creeks and rivulets. Where- 



