196 



ORDERS OF BIRDS— PERCHERS AND SINGERS 



tops of granite ledges from which the wind has 

 blown the snow. 



The Slate-Colored Junco,' often called the 

 Snow-Bird, is also a bird of the snow-fields; but 

 it is a home product rather than a visitor from 

 the desolate Barren Grounds. When seen on 

 snow, its slaty-blue back makes it appear hke 

 a dark-colored bird, but underneath it is dull 

 white. Like tlie snow-bunting, it goes in small 

 flocks, and in winter feeds chiefly upon weed- 

 seeds and grain. It breeds in our northern states, 

 and in winter migrates southward almost to the 

 Gulf of Mexico. Altogether, thirteen species 

 and varieties of .Juncos are recognized in North 

 America, and thej^ are at liome all the way from 

 Alaska to Mexico and the Gulf. 



The Sparrows. — There was a time when in 

 America it was not only respectable but even 

 honorable to be a Sparrow; but during the past 

 ten years, the doings of one alien species, most 

 unwisely introduced here have tended to bring 

 the name into disrepute. How our native species 

 must hate the interloper! But we protest tliat 

 our native Sparrows are as sweet-voiced and 

 interesting as ever they were; and as wholesale 

 destroyers of noxious weeds, they are unsur- 

 passed. After a careful investigation of the 

 quantity of weed-seeds consumed in Iowa by 

 the Tree-Sparrow,* Professor F. E. L. Beal 

 calculated the total amount for one j'car to be 

 1,750,000 pounds, or about S7.5 tons! Practi- 



AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 



They come in flocks of from ten to twenty birds, 

 and settle in the snow as if they love it. But for 

 a few dark streaks on back and wings, they are 

 the color of snow, and generally have the i>lunip 

 outlines wliicli betoken good feeding and con- 

 tentment. 



When you see this bird, remember that it 

 belongs to the polar world, cjuite as much as the 

 arctic fox and musk-ox, and in sunnner it goes 

 to the "farthest nortli" on our continent. 

 Rarely indeed does it breed in even the most 

 nortliorly portions of the United States, and 

 seldom enters a southerii state. 



In winter the food of this pretty bird con- 

 sists chiefly of the seeds of weeds that send tall 

 fruit-stalks above the level of the snow. In our 

 park grounds, we scatter wheat for it, on the 







ST 



t,:^ 



SNOW-BX'NTING. 



cally without exception, all our Sparrows are 



diligent consimicrs of the seeds of noxious weeds. 



If you doubt the vocal powers of Sparrows go 



' Jiin'co liii-c-mal'is. Length, 6 inches. 

 ' Spi-zel'la moti-ti-co'la. Length, inches. 



