NORTHERN SEASIDE SPARROW 831 



Egg dates. — Connecticut: 77 records, June 3 to July 6; 55 records, 

 June 3 to June 13. 



Maryland: 14 records, May 20 to June 29; 8 records, June 6 to 

 June 12. 



New Jersey: 63 records, May 18 to July 19; 33 records, June 7 to 

 June 21. 



New York: May 23 to July 2 (number of records not stated). 



Rhode Island: 4 records, June 8 to July 4. 



AMMOSPIZA MARITIMA MACGILLIVRAII (Audubon) 



MacGillivray's Seaside Sparrow 

 Contributed by Alexander Sprunt, Jr. 



Habits 



A resident of the coastal marshes from Dare County, N.C., to 

 southern Georgia, this sparrow, like Bachman's and Swainson's 

 warblers, was discovered near Charleston, S.C., by the Reverend John 

 Bachman in the early 1830's. When Audubon painted and described 

 it, he named it for the English ornithologist, WilUam MacGillivray, 

 for whom he entertained a high regard. 



In general appearance there is nothing striking about the seaside 

 sparrows. Rather drab, often ragged-looking olive-gray birds, they 

 give the impression of being definitely dingy and frayed, particularly 

 when in worn breeding plumage. The yeUow line before the eye and 

 the white streak along the jaw are diagnostic of the species. A. m. 

 macgillivraii is darker above than A. m. maritima, the back feathers 

 and central rectrices are distinctly, often broadly streaked with black, 

 and the streaks on the chest and sides are broader and darker. 



The predominant growth of the wetter parts of the South Carolina 

 salt marshes and bordering the wet creek edges is cord grass (Spartina 

 altemifolia), which is often displaced by wide expanses of black rush 

 (Juncus roemerianus) . Drier parts of the marsh support shorter 

 grasses such as salt joint-grass (Paspalum vaginatum) and a rush- 

 grass (Sporobolus virginicus). Still farther back on higher ground 

 grows the groundsel bush {Baccharis halimifolia) , which the low 

 country negroes for some inscrutable reason call "she-muckle" and 

 which bears beautiful cottony blooms. Along the edges of the 

 marshes and on the occasional small marsh islands or hammocks 

 grows the abundant wax myrtle {Myrica cerifera) and other vegetation 

 of the sandhills and dunes. 



Sharing this environment with the seaside sparrows and living in 

 closest proximity to them are the long-billed marsh wren (Telmatodytes 

 palustris) and the clapper rail {Rallus longirostris) . 



Nesting. — Regarding the Georgia birds, Tomkins (1941) states that 

 "the local colonies in the Savannah area begin to be peopled with 



646-737 — 68 — pt. 2 16 



