Family Fringillida - Vesper Sparrow 113 



abundant about the middle of April and again in 

 October, although many spend the entire summer 

 with us. 



The nest is placed on the ground ; eggs are laid 

 late in May, and there are two sets. 



The song is quaint and simple, but not especially 

 musical. In the region of New York they sing dur- 

 ing the later part of the spring migration, z>., any- 

 where from the ninth of April to the second of May. 



59. VESPER SPARROW; GRASS FINCH 

 BAY-WINGED BUNTING 



(PooccEtes gramineiis.} 



Upper parts gray, streaked with dusky brown and flaxen ; wing 

 with two white bars ; tail with outer feathers wholly or largely 

 white ; upper parts white or buff, heavily marked on breast and 

 sides of belly with brown spots. Beak conical, brown ; feet 

 brown. Bird as large as an English sparrow. Sexes similar. 



THE vesper sparrow comes to us about the middle 

 of April, and leaves again in late October. He is 

 to be sought in open fields and pastures, and about 

 newly ploughed ground. He is readily recognized, 

 because he is the only sparrow-like bird which shows 

 white tail feathers in flight. He spends much of his 

 time upon the ground, although by no means so 

 restricted to it as his name would seem to imply. 

 He owes his other name of vesper sparrow to the 



