SAVANNAH SPARROW. 489 



the female and most of her young, I have known the re- 

 maining male, with unceasing and anxious attention, 

 raise a solitary survivor of his ruined family, with the 

 most devoted affection. As they keep the young and 

 their habitation so very clean, and are so prolific, it is a 

 matter of surprise, that they do not re-occupy the premis- 

 es ; instances are, however, not wanting in which they 

 have been known to raise two broods in the same nest. 

 Both parents join in the duty of incubation, and alter- 

 nately feed each other while so engaged. 



The Song-Sparrow is about 6^ inches long, and 8^ in alar extent. 

 Head chesnutand dusky,, obscurely divided by a grey line ; line over 

 the eye ash, becoming nearly white towards the bill ; stripe from the 

 lower mandible, opening of the mouth, and posterior angle of the 

 eye, dark chesnut. Breast and flafiks pointedly spotted with chesnut, 

 the spots centered with black. Chin, belly, and vent white, the last 

 obscurely and faintly spotted with pale chesnut. Tail 2| inches 

 long, brown, the upper feathers centered with dusky. Wings pale 

 dusky, coverts dusky-brown and bay, edged with greyish-wliite, ter- 

 tials darker ; under-coverts, or lining, and the ridge of the shoulder 

 white ; 3d and 4th primaries longest ; 1st primary much shorter than 

 the 6th. Legs flesh-colored. Iris hazel. Bill above dusky, below 

 purplish. — The female scarcely differing in plumage. 



SAVANNAH SPARROW. 



(Fringilla Savanna, Wilson, iv. p. 72. pi. 34. fig. 4. [male], and 

 iii. p. 55. pi. 22. fig. 3. [female.] Fringilla hiemalis? Gmel. 

 Lath. Penjvant, No. 254. [young.] Phil., Museum, No. 6583, 

 6584.) 



Sp. Charact. — Line over the eye and ridge of the wings yellow j 

 breast and flanks spotted with blackish ; tail emarginate, extend- 

 ing about an inch beyond the tips of the closed wings ; 1st pri- 

 mary equal to the 2d : above varied with blackish, brown and 

 grey, or white. —Fe/naZe darker. — Young without the yellow 

 marks, and with the spots of the breast greyish-dusky. 



This Sparrow, allied to the preceding, but far less 

 familiar, is commonly seen in this part of New England 



