The Yellow-winged Sparrow (Ammodramus savan- 

 narum passerinus) in Eastern Pennsylvania 



BY SAMUEL WIUGHT 



There is found a slight streak of sentiment in all lovers of 

 birds, and it is very ajjt to cause us to fancy some one bird 

 above all others. I believe with most of the bird men with 

 whom I have been acquainted, the American Robin is the 

 species holding this position, for in looking over collections I 

 have found very few skins of this bird, and attribute the lack of 

 specimens to sentiment on the part of the collectors. This 

 spirit is to be commended, and in some ornithologists it covers 

 the entire bird population, but often not until they have formed 

 excellent collections. 



Just why I should have singled out the Yellow-winged Spar- 

 row I know not, for as a bird to study in detail it has very few 

 points of interest, and I think, without exception, it has the 

 least individual variation of any common species. Moreover, 

 although I have made a study of it for many years, I have 

 probably found out but little of its habits not already known. 

 I am obliged to say to begin with, that the most interesting 

 point about this bird I have never been able to solve, and that 

 is its requirements for a nesting place. 



Very often when you approach some little patch of woods or 

 meadow, j'ou think this is just the place for a Wilson's Thrush 

 or Swamp Sparrow. Such thoughts do not usually occur to tlie 

 mind in connection with the commoner species, but if they did 

 and you were to pick out suitable places for the occurrence of 

 the Yellow-wing, you would meet with many more disappoint- 

 ments than realizations. 



For many years I have noted the places where I have found 

 them, and where they were lacking, and have endeavored to 

 work out some solution as to their non-appearance in certain 

 localities, but have never reached any satisfactory conclusion. 



(28) 



