LAND BIRDS. 493 



Lower Peninsula, the northern limit being the Saginaw-Grand Valley. 

 About Lansing it is by no means common, but it was observed between 

 Lansing and Grand Ledge by L. J. Cole, in June 1898, and T. L. Hankinson 

 found it not uncommon near the College, on May 30 of the same year. In 

 the southern and southeastern part of the state it seems to be irregularly 

 distributed, but not uncommon in some places. J. Claire Wood found a 

 nest and four eggs in Wayne county, ]\Iay 28, 1902. Mr. Purdy says it is 

 increasingly abundant at Plymouth, Wayne county. Mr. Swales states 

 that careful search has revealed it in a number of localities in Wayne, 

 Oakland, Genesee, and St. Clair counties, but that it is extremely local in 

 its distribution. Apparently it occurs in little communities, several pairs 

 nesting within hearing of each other. At Petersburg, Monroe county, 

 Mr. Trombley says it is tolerably common and breeds, and specimens have 

 been taken rather frequently in Kalamazoo county in June and July. 



The bird gets its name of Grasshopper Sparrow from the shrill whirring 

 song, which" is an insect-like trill closely resembling that of some grass- 

 hoppers, and not readily detected by every ear. Mr. Bicknell says: "It 

 is most persistent in song in hot dry summers, when on the most fervid 

 days its fine notes sound sibilant and insect-like about the parched fields " 

 (Auk, I, 330). 



It nests on the ground, laying three to five eggs, which are nearly white, 

 rather sparsely speckled with brown and black, and more nearly resembling 

 the eggs of some warblers than those of a sparrow. They average .73 by 

 .58 inches. 



This bird arrives from the south in April, early in the month in the 

 southern part of tlie state, and from the middle to the end of the month 

 in Ingham county. It seems to prefer somewhat bushy and decidedly 

 barren grass lands more or less overgrown with weeds, briars, etc. Taverner 

 states that he never found it at Port Huron, but that at Pearl Beach, St. 

 Clair county, it is scarce and quite local. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Outer tail-feathers a little shorter than the middle ones. 



Adult (sexes alike) : Top of head with a distinct whitish or buffy median stripe between 

 two blackish ones; rest of upper parts brownish-gray, streaked with black (and sometimes 

 chestnut), most broadly and heavily on the scapulars and middle back, more narrowly 

 and sparsely on the neck and rump; a yellowish spot or sliort streak above the eye, and a 

 more or less (Hstinct dark hue behind the eye; cheeks, throat, sides of neck, chest, sides and 

 under tail-covcits, l)uliy wliite to clear buff, unspotted except for a few snuill streaks occa- 

 sionally on tlie sides of cliest; wings and tail brownish gray, edged externally with whitish 

 but without any spots; the wing sometimes with two rather inconspicuous whitish bars 

 across tips of niiddle ami greater coverts; bend of wing bright yellow; bill brown above, 

 yellowish below; iris brown. In worn midsummer plumage the reddisli brown of the uj)per 

 parts is mostly wanting and the buffy chest becomes soiled brownish. Young birds lack 

 the red-brown back markings, the feathers being widely edged witli buify and wliitish. 

 the chest distinctly streaked with l)rownisli or blackisii, tlie yellow eye-spot indistinct or 

 wanting. 



Length 4.85 to 5.20 indies; wing 2.:i5 to 2.(10; tail l.SO to 2; culmen .40 to .47. 



