154 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



Fox Sparrow. Passerella iliaca 



7.26 



Ad. — Top of head and back reddish-brown and gray; tail red- 

 dish-brown ; sides of throat and breast thickly marked with bright 

 reddish-brown spots, forming a heavy blotch in the centre of the 

 breast; belly and sides marked with dark brown arrow-shaped 

 spots. 



The Fox Sparrow is a common migrant through New 

 York and New England from the middle of March to the 

 end of April, and from the middle of October to the end of 

 November. The bushes along the edges of cultivated fields 

 and open places in woods are the resort of this large and 

 handsome sparrow. When a flock of Fox Sparrows are 

 startled from the ground, they generally fly into a tree, one 

 after another, instead of diving headlong into cover after 

 the manner of their frequent companions the Song Spar- 

 rows. The rich tawny color of the back and head, and par- 

 ticularly the reddish-brown tail, are then conspicuous. 

 When seen on the ground, the large arrow-shaped mark- 

 ings on the white breast and flanks are prominent. When 

 on the ground, they scratch with both feet at once, jumping 

 forward and back, often making a noticeable rustling among 

 the leaves. Often the little flocks which we meet are silent, 

 but sometimes they sing freely. 



The song is loud and rich, one of the finest of sparrow 

 songs ; there is a suggestion of generosity and courage in 

 the manner of its delivery and the fullness of its tone ; it 

 is occasionally heard in the autumn. The ordinary call-note 

 is a st, similar to that of the Song Sparrow and the White- 

 throat, but slightly heavier. The bird also utters a chuck 

 of alarm. 



The fox color should distinguish this sparrow r from the 

 others. Certain Song Sparrows, especially those seen in early 

 spring, are so unusually reddish-brown on the upper parts, 

 that a beginner might be puzzled to decide whether they 



