494 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



223. Henslow's Sparrow. Passerherbulus henslowi henslowi (And.). (547) 



Synonyms: Henslow's Bunting. — Emberiza henslowii, Aud., 1829. — Fringilla henslowii, 

 Nutt. — Coturniculus henslowi, Bonap., Baird, Coues, and most others. — Ammodramus 

 henslowi, A. O. U. Check-list, 1886, and recent writers. 



Plate XLVIII. 



Similar in size and general appearance to the Grasshopper Si)aiT()\v, and, 

 like that species, with the bend of the wing yellowish, but the under parts 

 show distinct black streaks on the sides and breast, and two black lines 

 between eye and throat. 



Distribution. — Eastern United States, west to the Plains, north to 

 southern New England and Ontario. 



Henslow's Sparrow is one of the less common sparrows in Michigan 

 and seems to be confined to the southern parts of the state. So far as we 

 can learn it was first taken in the state by James B. Purdy, who found the 

 nest with eggs at Plymouth, Wayne county, July 27, 1893 (Auk, XIV, 

 1897, 220). The nest was destroyed and the eggs broken by a mowing 

 machine, but the bird was identified by Dr. C. W. Richmond of the National 

 Museum, and enough of the eggs remained for identification by Captain 

 Bendire. The following year (1894) a nest and eggs were taken in Jackson 

 county, near Manchester, by L. Whitney Watkins, and the writer, accom- 

 panied by Mr. Watkins, took a second nest with four eggs at the same 

 l)lace June 6, 1904. Under date of June 11, 1908, Mr. B. H. Swales writes: 

 "Henslow's Sparrow seems to be not uncommon in small colonies all over 

 Wayne, St. Clair, and Oakland counties, as Taverner, Wood and myself 

 have ascertained. I have found a number on Grosse Isle without special 

 search." The bird has also been found in some numbers in Wayne county 

 l)y J. Claire Wood and P. A. Taverner, and by Taverner and Swales near 

 Peai-1 Beach and elsewhere in the southern part of St. Clair county. Speci- 

 mens were taken also on June 26, 1907, by E. R. Kalmbach and H. A. 

 Moorman, near Eaton Rapids, Eaton county, where a colony was located 

 and evidently nesting, although no nests w^ere found. 



There are several records from western Ontario and it seems to be not 

 uncommon on both sides of Lake St. Clair. It is by no means an easy bird 

 to find, since it frequents wet grounds, often overgrown with long grass, 

 weeds and shrubs, and it runs like a mouse among the thick herbage, flics 

 rapidly and irregularly when flushed and is usually difficult to stai't a 

 second time. 



The nest is placed on the ground, and the two nests found in Jackson 

 county were in very wet situations, the water being ankle deep at the time 

 they were taken. The one recorded by Mr. Purdy was in mowing land 

 and in a dryer situation. The nest is composed mainly of grasses, coarse 

 externally and much finer within, is deeply hollowed and rather carefully 

 hidden among the roots of the coarse grasses and weeds. The eggs, com- 

 monly four, are bluish white, flecked and speckled with reddish-brown, 

 and, like those of the Grasshopper Sparrow, resemble some of the warblers, 

 for example, the Maryland Yellowthroat, more than those of other sparrows. 

 They average .74 by .57 inches. 



The male has a rapid insect-like tiill oi- song which is sometimes delivered 

 while perched in plain sight on the top of a weed-stalk, oi- in a rosebush or 



