1404 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 takt 3 



north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. All were out of the nest, 

 some being fed by adults, others apparently no longer under parental 

 care. The fact that many adult males were still in full song and that 

 the only occupied nests we found contained fresh or nearly fresh eggs 

 suggested that two broods are reared annually in this region. Never- 

 theless proof of fox sparrows rearing more than one brood annually is 

 still lacking. 



Plumages and molts. — The natal down of the fox sparrow apparently 

 has never been described. Richard R. Graber (1955) describes the 

 juvenal plumage as: 



"Forehead, crown and nape uniform chestnut. Back rusty buff, streaked with 

 dark chestnut. Rump and upper tail coverts hazel. Tail rich chestnut. Re- 

 miges blackish, edged with chestnut (tertials and coverts broadly edged). Median 

 and greater coverts lightly tipped with buff. Lores and eye-ring buffy white. 

 Side of head concolor with crown, but with small whitish patch behind auric ulars. 

 Chin whitish, just behind mandible, otherwise dusky red-brown. Throat white, 

 spotted and streaked with dusky-tinged chestnut. Chest, sides, and flanks (less 

 so) heavily streaked with dusky-tinged chestnut. Belly white, only sparsely 

 marked. Crissum buffy white, obscurely streaked with rusty. Leg feathers 

 uniform chestnut." 



According to Dwight (1900) the first winter plumage is "acquired 

 by a partial postjuvenal moult which involves the body plumage and 

 wing coverts but not the rest of the wings nor the tail." He states the 

 first nuptial plumage is "acquired by wear which produces slight 

 changes. A few new feathers are usually acquired about the chin in 

 March, * * * Adult winter plumage acquired by a complete post- 

 nuptial moult. Practically indistinguishable from first winter dress. 

 Adult nuptial plumage acquired by wear as in the young bird. * * * 

 The sexes are alike and the moults correspond although the females 

 may average duller in colors." 



Food. — Fox sparrows are essentially terrestrial feeders and scratch 

 lustily for their food amongst fallen leaves. Using both feet in 

 unison, they display such remarkable balance that Charles W. Towns- 

 end (1905) wonders "why they do not pitch forward on their heads 

 when they spring back." Amelia S. Allen (1915) comments on 

 species at her feeding tray in California: "The habit of scratching 

 for its food seems to be so firmly fixed that it usually scratches among 

 the crumbs before picking them up." 



When not on the breeding grounds the fox sparrow is essentially a 

 vegetarian. According to Sylvester D. Judd (1901) the stomachs 

 from 127 birds taken principally in the eastern U.S. in every month 

 except June, July, and August contained 86 percent vegetable and 

 14 percent animal matter. Judd adds "The vegetable food differs 

 from that of most other sparrows in that it contains less grass seed 

 (only 1 percent), less grain, and more fruit, ragweed, and Polygonum. 



