OUR WINTER BIRDS. 63 



chestnut, and flaxen, and two conspicuous white cross- 

 bars are on his wings. He is the handsomest member 

 of the genus, and considerably larger than the little 

 chipping sparrow (Sjpizella socialis) that is always about 

 our doors in summer, but goes South to winter. 



Although Spizella monticola flock together in consid- 

 erable numbers, yet they keep the family relation as 

 strictly as the bluebirds, generally in groups of four or 

 six, which indicates that the parents rear but one brood 

 in a season, or, if more, each brood keeps by itself. 

 The birds comprising these groups do not quarrel, but 

 are so closely attached that one cannot fly away without 

 the others following. The actors in the quarrels and 

 trials of strength are made up of birds from different 

 groups — strangers trying for the championship. This 

 species does not go through with many preliminaries 

 before the final act. They commence chattering, and 

 clinch at once. Up, up they go, high in the air, strik- 

 ing, railing at each other as they ascend, until one is 

 victorious. 



The English sparrow merits notice, although I must 

 confess he is not a favorite with me. He is not so 

 graceful or beautiful as our indigenous species, still I 

 do not M'ish to be unjust towards him. I have uniform- 

 ly found him to be the least quarrelsome of any bird 

 that comes about the grounds. I have never seen him 

 aggressive towards our own species, even when mixing 

 thickly with them. He usually prefers to remain about 

 the barn and stable, where an abundance of food is 



