193 



1885 was even greater than in the previous year. It reached Gaines- 

 ville, Tex., March 28; Saint Louis, Mo., April 1G; Manhattan, Kans., 

 and Des Moines, Iowa, April 18. April 20 and 21 it appeared at New- 

 ton, Iowa; Laporte City, Iowa; Lanesboro, Minn., and Lake City, Minn. 

 Mr. Atwater says that at San Antonio, Tex., the} 7 always nest in 

 trees, probably for protection against snakes. At Red Rock, Iud. Ter., I 

 used to find them more often on trees than on the ground, while at Man- 

 hattan, Kans., Prof. Lantz says they usually nest on the ground, but 

 occasionally in trees. In the fall of 1885 the last at Grinuell, Iowa, 

 was seen September 27, and at Mouut Carmel, Mo., October 17. The 

 first arrived at Bonhaui, Tex., October 17, and they were common there 

 October 22. 



552 a. Chondestes grammacus strigatus (Swains.)- [204 a.] Western Lark Finch. 

 Mr. Lloyd states that this subspecies is an abundant summer resident 

 in western Texas, where it raises two broods, nesting in bushes and on 

 the ground. The most eastern record within our district is from Gaines- 

 ville, Tex., where Mr. G. H. Ragsdale secured it. But the majority of 

 the specimens from that locality are intermediate in character. At San 

 Angelo, in 1884, it was first seen April 1, and last seen October 3. In 

 1885 it reached San Angelo March 24. 



553. Zonotrichia querula (Nutt.). [205.] Harris's Sparrow. 



The habitat of this species has lately been determined with much more 

 accuracy than formerly ; indeed, the larger part of our knowledge of 

 Harris's Finch has been obtained during the last twelve years. Its 

 eastern limit is well known ; there is no Louisiana nor Arkansas record; 

 in western Missouri it is common, and it passes eastward to about the 

 middle of the State, the most eastern record being that of Mrs. Musick, 

 at Mount Carmel, Mo., where both the first and the bulk arrived April 

 3, 1884; hence it is probable that the species will yet be found in north- 

 western Arkansas. In Iowa it ranges a little farther eastward, being 

 common in western and middle Iowa, and a straggler has been taken at 

 Mitchell, Iowa, near the Wisconsin line. It has even wandered twice 

 to Illinois. The whole of Minnesota is included in its range, as there 

 are records from the four corners of the State, and in the fall of 1883 it 

 was taken at Trempealeau, Wis. The northern limit of its distribution 

 is not yet known, but it extends far into British America. In the south 

 it has not been found in southeastern Texas, though it is a common 

 winter bird in southwestern Texas. Its ranee is thus seen to agree in 

 general outline with that of the Lark Finch, were the latter moved two 

 degrees to the west. The most western record that has come to notice 

 is from Ellis, Kans, 



This is one of the species that did not go into wiuter quarters in the 



winter of 1883-84 until the cold weather of the first week in January. 



Previous to that it had been marked as abundant at Pierce City, Mo., 



and at Manhattan, Kans., but after January 2 none were seen at Pierce 



7305— Bull 2- — 13 



