210 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Sex, female. The stomach contained grass, sand, seeds, and 

 insects. 



Variation. — On comparing the specimen described above with a 

 male from New Brunsmck, forwarded to me by the society's secre- 

 tary, and with other specimens obligingly lent to me by Professor 

 Nicol of Marischal College, I find a sliglit difference in the bills — 

 the sinus of the upper mandible being more or less distinct. The 

 colours of the male in the New Brunswick specimen are not nearly 

 so bright as those of the specimens belonging to the College 

 Museum here,* the latter being, moreover, distinguished by having 

 the whole throat mapped off by distinct straight lines. The tail 

 feathers in all the specimens are more or less Avorn, the central 

 feathers, which are wiry to the base, having, in some instances, 

 merely the shafts remaining. 



According to Wilson, this is the largest and handsomest of the 

 American sj^arrows, and is common from Connecticut to Savannah, 

 particularly in the neighbourhood of the Roanoke river, and in 

 the rice plantations. In summer they retire inland and furtlier 

 north to breed. They remain in flocks during winter, jDreferring 

 the borders of swampy thickets, creeks, and mill-ponds, skirted 

 with alder bushes and rank weeds, the seeds of which form their 

 principal food. Early in spring they have a few remarkably 

 sweet and clear notes, which they utter a little after sunrise. 

 " About the 20th of April," adds Wilson, " they disappear, and 

 we see no more of them till the beginning or second week of 

 October." 



Pennant gives Pennsylvania, New York, and Newfoundland as 

 its habitat. 



I am much indebted to Mr Mitchell for kindly presenting me 

 with this specimen, which has now been added to my collection. 

 From its general resemblance to some of the female buntings, the 

 bird might have, in less enthusiastic hands, altogether escaped 

 observation. When shot it was perched on the top of a whin 

 bush, and attracted Mr Mitchell's attention by its note, and the 

 manner of flirting its tail. I have only to add that the bird bore 

 no traces of having been in confinement, the wings, tail, and all 

 the lower plumage, being quite clean. 



* These specimens were presented to the Museum by Audubon, and are 

 labelled in the handwriting of the late Professor Macgillivray. 



