274 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



Pooecetes gramineus, Baird. 



The Bay-winged or Grass Finch is tolerably 

 abundant in Eastern Pennsylvania during the 

 early spring, but few remain, however, to breed. 

 It usually makes its appearance about the 15th of 

 March, and sometimes in very backward seasons, 

 not before the first of April. Along the Wissa- 

 hickon hills in unusually mild winters, in sheltered 

 situations, we have met individuals throughout 

 the winter months. Its stay is uncommonly pro- 

 longed until the last of November, but ordinarily 

 it retires about the last of October. 



It is partial to dry, open fields and pastures, 

 where it procures its subsistence, and mainly de- 

 lights to place in depressions in the ground of its 

 own construction, with no attempt at concealment, 

 its simple nest of grasses. It is a fearless and 

 unsuspicious species, neither courting nor shun- 

 ning the society of man. We have never met 

 with its nest near human dwellings, but have 

 freqiiendy observed it chanting its simple and not 

 unmusical lay, while perched upon a fence-rail by 

 the roadside, and ever and anon stooping from its 

 elevated position ^ to dust, which operation it 

 practised with seeming fondness. 



Its song is a simple succession of pleasing notes 

 with some resemblance to those of the Canary, 

 but much weaker. It is not unlike the song of 

 Melospiza melodia, but neither so varied nor 

 powerful; and like the same commences early in 



