FKINGILLID.E — THE PINCHES. 



37 



there in marshy situations. At Lake Koskonong, in Wisconsin, Mr. Kum- 

 lien lias also met with these birds abundantly in suitable localities, and I'uunil 

 their nests and eggs (|uite plentiful. 



Mr. Eidgway has recently found this Sparrow to be a very aljuudant win- 

 ter resident in Southern Illinois, where it inhabits swampy thickets, and 

 where it remains until May, but is not known to breed there. 



They always nest on the ground, usually in a depression sheltered liy a 

 tuft of grass. The nest is woven of hue grass-stems, but is smaller than 

 the nest of M. mdodia. 



The eggs of this species, usually five in number, have an average measure- 

 ment of .78 by .GO of an inch. Their gTOund-color is usually a light green, 

 occasionally of a light clay, marked and blotched with reddi.sh and purpli.sh 

 brown spots, varpng in size and number, occasionally forming a confluent 

 ring around the larger end. 



Gen-US PEUCJEA, Audubon. 



Peticcea, AcD. SjTiopsis, 1S39. 

 322 (Synopsis.) 



(Type, FrbujiVa ccslivalis.) ScLATER & Salvis, 18G8, 



Vntnaa (Estivalis. 



Gen. Char. Bill moderate. Upper outline and commissure decidedly curved. Legs 

 and feet with the claws small ; the tarsus 



about equal to the middle toe ; the lateral 

 toes equal, their claws falling considerably 

 short of the middle one ; the hind toe 

 reaching about to the middle of the latter. 

 The outstretched feet reach rather beyond 

 the middle of the tail. The wing is very 

 short, reaching only to the base of the 

 tail ; the longest tertials do not exceed the 

 secondaries, while both are not much short 

 of the primaries ; the outer three or four 

 quills are graduated. The tail is consider- 

 ably longer than the wings ; it is much 

 graduated laterally; the feathers, though long, are peculiarly narrow, linear, and ellipti- 

 cally rounded at the ends. 



Color beneath plain whitish or brownish, with a more or less distinct dusky lino each 

 side of the chin. Above with broad obsolete brown streaks or blotches. Crown uniform, 

 or the feathers edged with lighter. 



Species and Varieties. 



CoM.MON Characters. A light siipei'ciliary stripe, with a brownish one below 

 it from the eye along upper edge of car-coverts (not one along lower edge of 

 ear-coverts, as in Melospiza). A narrow blackish '• bridle " along side of throat 

 (sometimes indistinct). Crown without a distinct median stripe, and lower parts 

 without markings. Ground-color above ashy, sometimes of a brownish cast ; 

 dorsal region and nape with brown blotches, with or without dart centres. 

 Crown blackish-brown streaked with ashy or jilain rufous. Beneath plain 

 brownish-white, lightest on the abdomen, darker across jugulum and along sides. 



