LAND BIRDS. 509 



l)istiil)ution. — Eastern North Ainei'ica, west to the Rocky Mountains, 

 north to Great Hlave Lake and south to eastern Mexico; breeding from the 

 Gulf States northward. 



This famihar httle sparrow is too well known to require any extended 

 description. It nests abundantly in all parts of the state, showing, however, 

 a decided preference for the cultivated regions and a decided liking for the 

 society of man. Were it not for the ever-present English Sparrow and the 

 far too abundant cat this bird would be found in every dooryard in the state 

 where there were a few shrubs and trees. It arrives from the south in April; 

 from the 3d to the 12th in the southern counties, from the 5th to the 15th 

 at Lansing, and from the 25th of April to the 5th of May at Sault Ste. Marie. 

 Its departure in the fall has not been so accurately noted, but it probably 

 leaves the northern counties before the middle of September and the 

 southern counties before the first of November. Mr. Swales states that 

 he has seen it near Detroit as early as March 29, 1891 and as late as October 

 25, 1893, but that the bulk of the species leaves much earlier. 



It commonly rears two broods, nests with eggs being found al)out the 

 middle of May and again about the first of July. The nest is placed usually 

 in a shrub or tree, small evergreens being preferred, but it is sometimes 

 found high in an apple tree or an oak, and not infrequently in a tangle of 

 vines or even on a lattice or the cornice of a house. It is always compactly 

 built of grasses, weed-stalks and I'oots, and so invariably and heavily linetl 

 with hair as to have given the bird the name of "Hair-bird." 



The eggs are commonly three or four, of a beautiful blue-green color, 

 thinly spotted and lined with brown and black, often wreathed at the 

 larger end. They average .69 by 50 inches. 



The young birds when able to fly differ noticeably from the adults, being 

 thickly streaked below so that they are often mistaken for other species. 

 Old and young often collect in flocks in late summer and mingle more or 

 less with other species. 



The song is a peculiar trill which is very variable, sometimes justifying 

 the usual description "like the sound made by striking two small pebbles 

 together rapidly," but at other times it consists of a succession of more 

 musical notes uttered at somewhat longer intervals and not distantly 

 suggesting the song of the Junco. 



The food of the Chipping Sparrow is very varied, consisting largely of 

 grass-seed and weed-seeds, but also of other vegetable substances, including 

 a few berries and the buds and leaves of chickweed and other herbaceous 

 plants. It eats a variety of insects with relish, including grasshoppers, 

 beetles, bugs and caterpillars, and when feeding young it gathers immense 

 numbers of span-worms and other injurious insects. It is not known to 

 do any harm whatever; on the contrary it is one of the best friends of the 

 agriculturist and should be encouraged and protected everywhere. It 

 suffers much fi'om the English Sparrow, the Blue Jay, the Cowbird, and the 

 domestic cat, but in si)ite of all these enemies it remains one of our most 

 familiar and abundant birds. 



TECHNICAL DESCHIPTIOX. 



Adult in summer (sexes alike): Tail decidedly shorter tliaii wiuij,; forclicail l)lack; 

 crown brigiit reddish brown or chestnut, without streaks and usually without trace of 

 median pale stripe; a whitish or light gray line from nostril over and behind the eye, and a 

 narrow black line across the lores and continued behind the eye; sides of head and sides 



