SHAKP-TAILED SPARROW 



167 



Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Ammodramus caudacutus 



5.85 



Ad. — Top of head dark brown, with an indistinct gray line 

 through the centre ; back brown, the feathers margined witli whit- 

 ish ; line over eye and for some distance behind it huffy ^ separated 

 from a huffy stripe alongside of throat by an ash-gray cheek- 

 patch; under parts washed with butfy (except in midsummer), 

 breast and sides streaked with black; tail-feathers narrow and 

 pointed, the middle pair the longest. Im. in summer. — Under 

 parts buffy, with very indistinct streaking on the breast. 



Nest., of grasses on the ground. Eggs, pale blue, finely speckh d 

 with reddish. 



The Sharp-tailed Sparrow is a common, though somewliat 

 local, summer resident of extensive salt marshes along the 

 coast of New York and New 

 England, such as occur along 

 the Arthur Kill, on Staten 

 Island, and at Kevere and Ips- 

 wich, Mass. It arrives in May, 

 and stays till October. The 

 tall coarse grass (^Spartina), 

 called thatch in New England, 



which grows along the tidal ^^<^-^^- Sharp-tailed Sparrow 



creeks and ditches, is its favorite haunt. When perching, 

 it grasps the stalk with feet widespread, or, when startled, 

 dives down, perhaps to appear on the top of another patch. 

 When feeding in the shorter grass, it runs with head down, 

 like a Savannah Sparrow, or stands high on its stout legs. 



Its song is simple and unmusical ; Dr. Townsend has 

 well described it as like " the hiss of hot iron in water." 

 The male, when singing, frequently mounts a short distance 

 into the air, but more often sings from the top of the grass, 

 or from some post. 



It is to be recognized by its rather long bill and by its 

 narrow tail, not square like a Savannah's, but with the middle 

 feathers longest, but chiefly by the hvffy line over the eye 



