226 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



ruary 26 and March 7, 1923, 99 siskins were banded on the 

 grounds of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute.^ 



General habits. — ^This bird is very erratic in its movements, 

 appearing irregularly in winter throughout the greater part 

 of the United States. It resembles the goldfinch in habits, 

 but remains in more closely massed flocks and lacks the cheery 

 musical notes of its brightly colored relative. 



Food habits. — The siskin feeds largely on seeds, as those of 

 the sweetgum, alder, birch, fir, larch, pine, and juniper; also 

 buds of spruce and maple ; and weed seeds, including those of 

 thistle, dandelion, ragweed, and sunflower. 



VESPER SPARROW: Pooecetes gramineiis gramineus 

 I (Gmelin). 



State records. — The vesper sparrow, grass finch, or bay- 

 winged bunting (fig. 13), as it is variously called, is an abun- 

 dant winter resident over most of the State. At Leighton, 

 McCormack has recorded it between November 1 and April 9 ; 

 and at Greensboro, Dr. Avery gives it as an abundant winter 

 resident. The species was not common in the coast region in 

 January and February and only a few were seen at Bayou 

 Labatre, March 23, 1912, and November 19, 1915. It was 

 seen in numbers, however, at Carlton in March, and at Abbe- 

 ville and Ashford in November. At Auburn, March 4 to 10, 

 1912, it was abundant. 



Avery reports the arrival of fall migrants at Greensboro 

 between October 21 and 25, and Golsan saw the first at Au- 

 taugaville October 22 (1915). The last birds were seen at 

 Leighton on April 9; a very late migrant was taken at 

 Auburn, May 7, 1914. 



General habits. — The grass finch is a bird of the open, up- 

 land country, found in winter often in large flocks in pastures 

 and cultivated fields and along roadsides. The birds run 

 rapidly on the ground, and upon taking flight, display the 

 white outer tail-feathers. At Auburn, March 4 to 10, 1912, 

 many were singing in concert, though not so strongly as they 

 do later in the season on their breeding grounds. The song 



tRobi'naon, Wilson Bull., vol. 35, p. 112, June, 1923. 



