168 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



and along the sides of the throat. Birds seen from June to 

 the middle of September all have streaked breasts ; and this 

 streaking and the buffy cheeks distinguish them from their 

 relatives and companions the Seaside Sparrows. (See preced- 

 ing species.) Young birds have less streaking than the 

 adults, but are much yellower below than the Seaside Spar- 

 rows. 



Note. — There is another species of Sharp-tailed Sparrow, the Aca- 

 dian (Ammodramus nelsoni subvirgatus), which inhabits the salt marshes 

 of New Brunswick, and has been found breeding- in Sagadahoc County, 

 Me. It occurs on the rest of the New England coast as a spring and 

 fall migrant in May and October, but resembles the preceding species 

 so closely that only a trained observer, viewing the bird at close range, 

 could distinguish it. A third subspecies (Ammodramus nelsoni) also 

 occurs in October. 



Henslow's Sparrow. Ammodramus henslowii 

 5.00 



Ad. — Upper parts dark brown, streaked with blackish; under 

 parts whitish, narrowly streaked with black on breast and sides; 

 tail short and narrow; bill heavy. 



Nest, on ground. Eggs, grayish-white, thickly speckled with pale 

 brown. 



Henslow's Sparrow is a rare summer resident of southern 

 and central New England, arriving in May and leaving in 



August. It is an extremely 

 local bird, occurring in south- 

 ern New England in exten- 

 sive wet meadows along 

 sluggish streams, and in 

 Berkshire County and in 

 southern New Hampshire 

 in the ill-drained hillsides 



Fig. 49. Henslow's Sparrow 0R tne U pl ail d, where the 



wet, neglected pastures are partially overgrown with spiraea, 

 or the shrubby cinquefoil. From May to early August one 

 can hear from such meadows or pastures one of the simplest 



