504 GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 



well as long claws, seem purposely provided to accele- 

 rate this clinging and running on the uneven ground. 



The length of the Swamp Sparrow is about 6 inches: (I have 

 measured young birds 5^,) and about 8 in alar dimensions. The 

 crown bright bay, margined behind and in front with blackish ; back 

 of the neck dark grey ; the anterior portion of the line passing 

 over the eye is whitish, inclining to ash ; chin whitish ; a stripe of 

 blackish proceeds from the lower mandible, and another from the 

 posterior angle of the eye. Back blackish-brown, the feathers mar- 

 gined with light bay, and some touches of yellowish-white ; wing- 

 coverts bright bay and a little black, without any edgings of whitish. 

 Winers and tail dusky, the primaries edged with brownish-white, the 

 secondaries with bay ; 3d and 4th primaries the longest. Belly and 

 vent brownish-white (in the female nearly white). Bill dusky, the 

 lower mandible yellowish below. Iris dark hazel. Legs very stout 

 and long, and, as well as the feet, pale brownish horn-color ; claws 

 strong and sharp. — Young spotted with black and olive-brown, not 

 bay, the breast also streaked with dusky. 



SHORE FINCH. 



{Fringilla *littoralis, Nobis. Oriolus caudacutus, Lath. Orn. i. p. 



186. No. 43. F. caudacuta, Wilson, iv. p. 70. pi. 34. fig. 3. 



Phil. Museum, No. 6442.) 

 Sp. Charact. — Two stripes of brownish-orange, inclining to buff 



on each side of the head ; breast pale buff v/ith small blackish 



spots ; tail wedge-shaped with the feathers acute. 



The Shore Finch is an inhabitant of the low islands 

 and marshy sea-coasts from New York to Georgia, living 

 on small shrimps, marine insects, and probably grass- 

 seeds, moving through the rank herbage nearly with the 

 same agility and timidity as the Swamp Sparrow, to 

 which, in the structure of the feet and stoutness of the 

 bill, it bears considerable affinity. These birds are not 

 rare, though not so numerous as the Maritime Sparrow, 

 with which they commonly associate. 



The Shore Finch is about 5^ inches long, and 7^ in alar extent. 

 Back yellowish-brown olive, some of the feathers edged with semi- 



