272 BIRDS OF ILLISOIS. 



individuals of tliis species is not excelled for sweetness Ky anj" 

 bird notes, while during the love season, says Dr. Brewer, "the 

 Tree Sj)arn)w is quite a line musician, its song resemhliu},' that of 

 the Canary, but liner, sweeter, and not so loud." According to Mr. 

 Brewster, "their song is a loud, clear and powerful chant, starting 

 with two high notes, then falling rapidly, and ending \nth a low, 

 sweet warble." After mentioning the fact that this species is, in 

 northeastern Illinois, an "iibuinhuit winter resident about thickets 

 and in marshes," and that it "arrives the 15th of October and departs 

 the 1st of April," Mr. Nelson, in his list (p. 108) thus appropriately 

 describes their song : 



"The lirst of Miucli they collect in large flocks and are very 

 niusiciil. Often a large portion of the flock will unite in song 

 which, although it may be more than equaled later in the season, 

 yet, coming as it does between winter and spring, and so touch- 

 ingly plaintive, one involuntarily stops to listen with a peculiar 

 feeling of pleasure." 



Spizella socialis (Wils.) 



CHIPPING SPAKBOW. 

 Popular synonyms, t'lilpiiy: Chip-bird; Hair-bird. 



Frinoitla socialis Wils. Am. Orn. ii.lSlO. 127. pi. 16. ng. 5.— Nutt. Man. i. ISfJ.lOT.-AcD. 

 Orn. Biog. ii. 18S4.21; v, 1839.517, pi. KM. 

 Einberiza socinlis AuD. .Syiiop. 1839.105; B. .\in. iii, 1841.80. pi. 1(15. 



tiliizrlla socialis hP. Uan.—liMKV. B. N. Am. 1858. 473; Cat. X.Am. B. I8S9, No. S59.— 

 CoUES. Key. 1872. H2; Clu'ol; List, 1873. No. 178: B. X. W. 1874, 148. -B. B. & R. Hist. 

 N. Am. B. ii.1874,7. pi. J7.I1b. 1. 

 Spiii'lla (loiiiiislica "(Babtr.)" C'oues, Proe. Phil. .Kv. 2d Cliocli List, 18S2. No. a«>9.— 

 HiDow. Xi>m. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 211. ( 



Had. EH,sti"rii North America, north to tlio "Fur Countries. " wintering in Soutliern 

 Stiiti'H. (Uiba. anil eastern Mi'.xieo. In the western Cniteil St«te.s and llie greater part of 

 Me.xieo, replaced by tlie siiglilly but constantly dilTerent S. socialis arizona. 



"Sp. Chah. Itump, liacl; of neelv, and sides of liead ami noclv,a8hy. Interscapular 

 ri'gion with lilai'k streaks, margined with pali> rufous. Crown continuous and uniform 

 chestnut. Forehead black, separated in the middle by white. A white streak over the 

 eye to uape.and a black one from the base of the bill through and behind thccye. Lores 

 vlusky. Cpper parts unsptitted whitish, tinged with ashy on the sides and across the 

 upper breast. Tail-feathi'rs and primaries edged with paler, not white. Two narmw 

 white bands across the wing-i'overts. Hill black. Li'iigth, .1.75; wing, nearly ;t.0«: tail. 

 2.5(1 (ur less). 



■■ Yninia- Immature birds and frc(iucutly theadult females with the cap streaked with 

 blackish lines, the chestnut sometimes nearly or quite wanting. Birds of the year 

 slreaki'd beneath and i>n rump. 



"Thi' color of bill varies; sometimes entirely black throughout, sometimes vi-ry light 

 (but ni'ver reddish as in .S. imsillal. with idl intermediate stages. There is u.sually. how- 

 ever, a dusky tinge in the upper bill, wanting in pnsilla, and the lores nro almost always 

 more or less dusky in all stages of plumage." {Uisl. X. Am. It.) 



