Ill 



2. 11)01 (W. L. M.I. During' llic iiiatin.u' scnsou English Sparrows oftt'ii 

 engage in sueh earnest lighting tliat one or tlie otlier of the eontestants is 

 left dead upon the tiehl. Their pugnacious encounters ai-e Ity no means 

 confined to tliat season, lioAvever. On October Ki. 1!)(>2, two males were 

 so deeply interested in their 1 tattle that they were both easily picked \ip 

 in the hand. 



Flycatcliers are found in llie Sjiarrow family and the House Sparrow 

 is one of these. They have been observed catching insects on the wing, 

 swooping and returning to the same perch lilve Flycatchers. Some seem 

 more adept than others: one seen, made two darts in the air before 

 returning to the tree which was his head<iuarters. Other Sparrows which 

 have been observed at this piirsuit are: Junco, (Tiewink, Chippy. Fiehl 

 and White-throated Sparrows. 



Quite a tendency to albinism is noticeable in this l)ird and it seems to 

 be of recent development. A perfect alI»ino was taken September 2S, 

 1885 (C. H. B.). In the single spring of 1003, a perfect albino was cap- 

 tured by hand while on a nest containing four yoimg (iNIcCrackeu); a par- 

 tial albino with the head .ind flecks everywhere snowy white was taken 

 and three similar ones seen. Many specimens with one or two rectrices 

 or remlges white were oliser^ed. In two months in the simimer at another 

 locality, three partial all)inos were seen and two complete ones reported. 

 A peculiarity in the coloration is that the light color in the partial 

 albinos is pure snowy white, Avliile the entirely albiuistic specimens are 

 deep butfy white. 

 117. [542a] Passcrriilnn ^(nidtricheii-'iis saranna (Wils. ). Savanna Sparrow. 



Common nngrant and ])robal)ly rare summer resident. The majoi-ity 

 of migi-atlon records do not show this bird in what is probably its true 

 position. There are several rather early spring and late fall reports, but 

 the greater number of dates given nearly coincide with those for the next 

 species as if they were inseparably connected in time of migration as 

 they have been, heretofore, generically imited. This ))ird lu'eeds farther 

 north and Avinters farther north; the fact that it winters in the loAver 

 AVabash valley in our own State makes it seem proltaltle that it should 

 l)e seen earlier all over the State and that it has probably l>een over- 

 looked dm'ing many seasons imtil its more conspit-uinis cousin, with the 

 brighter coloi's and startling insect-like trill, arrived. It is true that the 

 two liirds are generally found together, liut it is ia-ob;il)le that the (»l)scure 



