THE IPSWICH SPARROW. 27 



I think it more probable that the birds which occur at Ipswich are winter visitors 

 from the north, than that they are stragglers from so great a distance as Nebraska. 

 As might be expected, I heard no song-note at this season, but simply a short chirp 

 of alarm. 1 



In 1872 Mr. William Brewster recorded the following captures: "Mr. 

 Maynard also informs me that he took two more specimens of Baird's Sparrow 

 {Centronyx Bairdii), October 14th and 15th [1870], on the Ipswich sand- 

 hills, thereby confirming the hypothesis advanced by him in the ' Nat- 

 uralists' Guide,' namely, that they are regular winter visitants from the 

 North." The capture of these additional specimens led to the discovery by 

 Mr. Maynard that they were of a new species, and towards the end of the 

 year 1872, in the 'American Naturalist' for October (p. 637), the original 

 error was corrected by him, and the Ipswich Sparrow was established as a 

 new species in the following words : — 



In December, 1868, I took a Sparrow at Ipswich which was then supposed to be 

 Centronyx Bairdii. In the autumn of 1870, I took two more of the same species, 

 also at Ipswich ; but upon visiting the Smithsonian Institution this spring and com- 

 paring these specimens with the original C. Bairdii, I have come to the conclusion 

 that they are specifically distinct. They are closely allied to the savanna sparrow 

 and evidently belong to the same genus ; I therefore propose to name the Massa- 

 chusetts bird Fasserculus princeps, the large barren ground sparrow. The Centronyx 

 Bairdii should also, I think, be referred to the genus Passerculus, for I can see no 

 good generic character by which it can be separated. A description and figure of 

 this new Passerculus will be found in the 'Naturalists' Guide' (page 112), under 

 the name of Centronyx Bairdii, With a history of the capture of the first specimen and 

 also an account of how this name came to be applied to it. It will likewise be 

 understood that the name of Centronyx Bairdii, given in a notice in the May number 

 of the Naturalist (page 307) by Mr. Brewster, should read Passerculus princeps. 



Dr. Coues in his ' Key,' published in 1872, under '■Centronyx bairdii,^ 

 hinted at " something not now anticipated," and in the appendix recognized 

 "P. princeps Maynard," saying, "Although perfectly aware of this at 

 time of writing, I refrained from anticipating publication of the fact." 

 From this time on, published references to the new species followed in 

 rapid succession, and it may be of interest to look at the first records for 

 the different States and Provinces. Arranged in sequence of publication, 

 they are as follows : — 



'In the second edition, 1877, of the 'Guide,' Mr. Maynard, in the new light thrown upon the species, 

 modified some of these statements to suit the species to which they really referred, and there is 

 substituted for the original wood-cut a very fair hand-colored plate of the Ipswich Sparrow under its 

 proper name. 



