262 . BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



liim. His SOUR is most noticeable after Bumlowii, wlien other birds 

 are silent, for which reason he has been aptly called the Vesper 

 Sparrow. The farmer followmg his team from the field at dusk 

 catches his sweetest strain. His song is not so brisk and varied as 

 that of the Song Sparrow, being softer and wilder, sweeter and more 

 plaintive. Add the best parts of the lay of the latter to the sweet 

 vibrating chant of the Wood Sparrow (.S'/>L'«'//(( imxiUii), and you 

 have the evening hjonn of the Vesper-bird— the poet of the ])lain 

 unadorned pastures. Go to those broad, smooth, up-lying fields, 

 where the cattle and sheep arc grazing, and sit down on one of the 

 wann, clean stones, and listen to this song. On evei-y side, near 

 and remote, from out the short grass which the herds are cropping, 

 the strain rises. Two or tlu-ee long, silver notes of rest and peace, 

 ending in some subdued trills or quavers, constitute each separate 

 song. Often you will catch only one of the bars, the breeze ha\-ing 

 blown the minor part away. Such unambitious, unconscious 

 melody ! It is one of the most characteristic sounds in Nature. 

 The grass, the stones, the stubble, the furrow, the quiet herds, and 

 the wai-m twilight among the hills, Are all suhtilely expressed in 

 tliis song; this is what they are at least capable of." 



Genus CHONDESTES Swainson. 



Vhondfslf^ Swainson. Phil. Mng. i, 1S27,4.S5. Type, C/ioiidea/cs atrigatus iiw.,=Frin- 

 giUa graitiiiiava Say. 



"Gen. Chah. Bill swollen; both outlines cently curvi'il; llu> low^r mandihle as liliih 

 as the upper: the eonimissure anKulaled at the base.nnJ then slichtly slnuateil. Lower 

 numdilile rather narrower at the base than the lenuth of the tr'>nys; broader than the 

 \ipper. Tarsi moderate. about eqiml to the middle toi-; lateral toes equal and very short. 

 reaehiuK but little beyond the middle of the penultimate Joint of the middle toe. and 

 fallinc eimsidorably short of the base of middle elaw. Wines liiiiij. pointed, reaehiuB 

 nearly to the middle of the tiiil: the tertials not loncer than the secondaries; the (Irst 

 quill shorter than the sec(Uid and third, whieh are equal. The tail is moderatidy lonif. 

 considerably graduated, the feathers rather narrow.and elliptleally rounded at the end. 



"Streaked on the baek. Head with well defined large strlpe.s. Beneath white, willi a 

 pectoral spot. Only one species reeoRnized." (//i»f. .V. -Ihi. II.) 



Chondestes grammacus (Say). 



LASK SPASBOW. 

 Popular synonyms. Lark Fineh; Potato Ulrd •I'armers about Saint Louis"; Coalk). 

 /Vi»i;i7(a i7/-o(/uimra Say. Long's Exp. I. 1823, !.•».— Nutt. Man. i. is:t>. jso.-Aud. Urn. 

 BioK. V, istn, 17, pi. :i9n. 



