

RARER BIRDS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 635 
has taken this species at Holyoke,—a single specimen in 
May, 1866. Dr. Brewer informs me he has found it breed- 
ing at Hingham. The species is still known, however, as 
only a straggler from the southward. 
CARDINAL. Rep Brd. Cardinalis Virginianus Bon. 
Four specimens of this bird were taken near Springfield in 
October, 1866. Mr. W. H. Niles observed it at Belcher- 
town the last week of October, 1868, and at Southampton 
May 5th, 1869. As these form all the recent authentic in- 
stances of its occurrence in the state, it can only be regarded 
as an accidental visitor. It has been questioned whether in 
the previous instances of its capture here the specimens 
taken were not birds that had escaped from cages. In all 
probability they were, however, wild birds. 
European House Sparrow. Passer domestica Leach. 
The few pairs turned loose in the Boston Common a few 
years since seem to be slowly increasing in numbers, and bid 
fair to be of great service in checking the ravages of several 
species of caterpillars that now greatly injure the foliage of 
the shade trees. These interesting birds are now frequently 
observable both on the Common and in the Public Garden. 
European GorpriwcH. Carduelis elegans Steph. Feb- 
ruary 28th, 1865, I saw a single male on Quincy street, Cam- 
bridge, that had probably escaped from a cage. It was 
feeding on the seeds of the larch and appeared fully at 
home. Its notes first drew my attention to it, which, while 
so much resembling those of our common Yellow Bird, yet 
differ from them in surpassing in sweetness the pleasant 
warble of that favorite bird. I doubt not that if a consider- 
able number of European Goldfinches should be introduced 
into New England the species would soon become acclimated 
and generally distributed. 
Sern Fincu. Serinus meridionalis Brehm. A specimen 
. of this European species was taken near Springfield in No- 
vember, several years since. It may have been a cage bird 
that had escaped. 
