38 (J. H. Merriam — Birds of Connecticut. 



90. Ammodromus maritimus (Wilson) Swainson. Seaside Finch. 



A common suiimaer resident, breeding abundantly in tlie salt and 

 brackish water marshes near the coast. Remains into September. 



9 1 . Ammodromus caudaCUtuS (Gmelin) Swainsou. Sharp-tailed Finch. 

 A common summer resident, like the last, and breeds in the 



same situations. Arrives about the middle of April (Apr. 14, Os- 

 borne). Their eggs are laid during the last of May and first of June. 

 Mr. Dayan found a nest containing four fresh eggs on May 31, 1876, 

 at Savin Hock, and on the Vth of June both species were breeding 

 abundantly. We Ibund great numbers of both along the Quinnipiac 

 River, and so I'ar inland that the water was almost, if not quite, fresh. 

 In some particular spots the niaritinms outnumbers the cavdacutus, 

 l)ut on the whole the latter greatly predominates. 



92. Melospiza palustris (Wilson) Baird. Swamp Sparrow. 



A common summer resident, breeding plentifully. Arrives early 

 in April, remaining till late in November (Nov. 20). 



93. Melospiza melodia (Wilson) Baird. Song Sparrow. 



An abundant resident ; particularly numerous from February to 

 December, but not uncommon nil through December and January. 

 Tn the winter season they frequent old fences alongside which a 

 copious growth of brushwood has sprung up; also found in back- 

 yards in the city. Mr. W. W. Coe, of Portland, Conn., found a 

 Song Sparrow's nest in a hole in a tree ten feet from the ground 

 (early .June, 1873).* 



94. Melospiza LinCOlni (Audubon) Baird. Lincoln's Finch. 



A rather rare siimmer resident. Mr. J. N. Clark, of Saybrook, Conn,, 

 showed me a mounted specimen of this species which he had shot in 

 a l>rush heap in his garden in the spring of 1875. He thinks he saw 

 another a few days before, but it was very shy and he did not kill it. 

 Mr. Erwin I. Shores, of Suffield, Conn., writes me that it is ''■not 

 rare" in that vicinity, where he took one specimen in 1874, and three 

 more this spring (1877). Mr. Shores says that on May 23, and again 

 on June 2d, he "saw one with small twigs in its bill," hence, 

 although he did not actually find the nest, there can be no reasonable 



* MS. notes of W. W. Coe. 



