AVERY BIRD COLLECTION 79 



125. CARPODACUS PURPUREUS PURPUREUS (Gmelin). 

 Purple Finch. 



The stomach of the first recorded bird of this species, 

 a specimen taken at Greensboro, Jan. 14, 1878, "contain- 

 ed debris of berries." The Doctor writes that it is a 

 rare bird. 



Four days later, recording another specimen, he 

 write : "Winter visitant ; seems to feed on seeds of va- 

 rious trees and weeds. I have seen this bird eating the 

 seeds of the Jamestown weed. This bird is rare in Ala- 

 bama. He is said to sing well.' 



"Common some years; others rare. Winter resident." 

 (1891a). 



This little note is found under date of March 15, 1890, 

 in the Doctor's catalog: "The purple finch has been 

 common this winter. 



No. 314. Female. Greensboro. Dec. 13, 1889. W. C. Avery. 



No. 391. Male. Greensboro. Mar. 2, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 392. Female. Greensboro. Mar. 2, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 411. Male. Greensboro. Mar. 13, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 421. Male. Greensboro. Mar. 15, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



126. PASSER DOMESTICUS (Linnaeus). 

 English Sparrow. 



The Doctor did not deign to waste ink upon this feath- 

 ered "varmint" though there are two specimens in the col- 

 lection. The crop of the first contained corn, that of the 

 other "grain." 



No. 254. Male. Greensboro. Nov. 2, 1889. W. C. Avery. 

 No. 255. Female. Greensboro. Nov. 2, 1889. W. C. Avery. 



127. ASTRAGALINUS TRISTIS TRISTIS (Linnaeus) . 

 Goldfinch. 



The first goldfinch recorded by Dr. Avery is his No. 

 17 (old series), an adult female taken at Greensboro, 

 June 10, 1876. He entered in his journal under that 

 date: "This little bird is not very common in this por- 

 tion of Alabama. In early spring it appears in little 

 flocks, which soon disband, and the note of a solitary 

 bird may be occasionally heard, as he flies over. Even 

 after the season for pairing, they may be seen together 

 in squads of five or six. Do they build their nests and 



