ZOOLOGY. 749 
g, shows scarcely any. There is no yellow on the edge 
of the wing, nor a definite yellow loral spot, as in C. passerinus ; 
there are no blackish maxillary or pectoral streaks as in C. Hens- 
lowii, the markings of the under parts of the adult being confined 
to sparse, sharp, blackish touches along the sides. In the younger 
birds, however, these may usually be traced across the breast, as 
is also the case with the young of C. passerinus, the adult of which 
is not, or not noticeably, marked below. But even the youngest 
specimen shows no maxillary streaks. There are some peculiarities 
in the shade and pattern of the variegation of the upper part ; the 
markings of the adult being bold, sharply contrasted and heavily 
colored. The bill of the old bird is dark horn blue, lighter blue 
below; that of the young is reddish-brown, paler below. Feet 
flesh-colored at all ages. 
I only noticed the birds on one occasion, Agvet 9th, when a 
number were found together, in the deep green sea of waving grass 
that rolled over an extensive moist depression of the prairie. Five 
specimens were secured, in the course of an hour, not without diffi- 
culty ; for, the grass being waist-high, the only chance was a snap 
shot as the birds, started at random, flitted in sight for a few sec- 
onds; while it was quite as hard to find them when killed. Sev- 
eral seen to fall were not recovered after diligent search. In their 
mode of flight, the birds resembled wrens; a simile which sug- 
gested itself to me at the time was that of a bee returning home 
laden with pollen; they flew straight, steadily and fast enough, 
but rather feebly, as if heavily freighted for their very short wings. 
The only note I heard was a chirring like the noise of a grass- 
hopper. Although I found no nest, the circumstances of obser- 
vation leave no doubt that the birds bred here. They were in 
company with a number of short-billed marsh-wrens; their neigh- 
bors of the drier prairie around were chestnut-collared buntings, 
Baird’s buntings and Sprague’s skylarks, all very numerous.— 
Exxiotr Coues. 
moulting 
Insect Gars. — Mr. Riley is paying especial attention to galls 
and their architects. He has accumulated a vast amount of ma- 
terial, including all the described North American forms, with a 
view of soon publishing an illustrated work on the subject. He 
will be glad to receive assistance in the way of notes and speci- 
mens from the United States and Canada, and will take pleasure 
