244 FINCHES AND SPAREOWS 



p. 252). It comes next to the Chippy in friend- 

 liness. The Vesper is seen on roadside fences, 

 and when it flies may be recognized by its white 

 outer tail feathers. (See Fig\ 60, p. 119.) Its 

 loud, sweet song is also a striking character. The 

 White - tliroated and White - crowned Sparrows 

 stand by themselves, and the two may be known 

 apart by the wdiite chin j^atch of the White- 

 throat, though both have handsome striped black 

 and white crowns (Figs. 150 and 152, p. 252). 

 The Tree and Field Sparrows are the less domes- 

 tic cousins of the Chippy and Clay-colored. The 

 Field may be known by its reddish bill and its 

 plaintive song, which generally runs down the 

 scale ; while the Tree may be recognized by its 

 larger size, the small, indistinct black spot on its 

 breast, and the fact that it is only a winter visitor 

 going to Labrador and the Hudson Bay country 

 to nest. The Savanna, Grasshopper, Sharp-tailed, 

 and Seashore Sparrows belong to the same genus, 

 and are birds of the open meadows, or, in the case 

 of the Sharp-tailed and Seashore, of salt marshes. 

 Their tails are worn and pointed (see Fig. 148, 

 p. 239), presumably because they use them to 

 brace against the reeds and grasses, steadying 

 themselves as they perch. A fine, insect-like song 

 characterizes the Grasshopper Sparrow, together 

 with the fact that its under parts are unstreaked, 

 while those of the Savanna are heavily streaked. 

 In the north, the Grasshopper is found in old daisy 



