Open Nests on the Ground 
546. Yellow-winged or Grasshopper Sparrow: Ammo- 
dramus savannarum passerinus (Wils.) 
Adult—Upper parts dark or dusky, the feathers being bordered 
with buff; back of neck warm brown; tail feathers rather 
short and pointed; under parts buffy, shading into white on 
the belly. The most distinctive features of this bird are the 
bright yellow at the bend of the wing and the darker yellow 
in front of the eye, Length—5.20. 
Immature birds have the breast spotted with dark 
brown or nearly black. 
Breeding Range—From the Gulf States to New England, probably 
not north of Massachusetts. 
The nest is either arched or opened. It is made of grass, with 
fine grass and occasionally horse-hair for lining, and may be 
found in open fields, usually where the grass is short ; often it is 
placed under an upturned sod or beneath a tussock. 4 to 5 eggs 
are laid; they are white, with few or many reddish brown spois, 
mostly around the larger end. Size—.73 x .56. See Fig. 14, 
Plate B. 
The Yellow-winged Sparrow spends nearly all the time on 
the ground, running through the grass, and only taking wing 
when forced to do so. When he does fly he gets up witha 
great deal of noise for so small a bird, and takes a zig-zag course 
during his short flight, which is seldom more than a few yards. 
The nesting season in the neighbourhood of New York begins 
about the middle of May. In Illinois eggs have been found from 
April 20th to August 12th. Two broods are reared during the 
season. 
547. Henslow’s Sparrow: Ammodramus henslowii (Aud.) 
Adult—Head dark olive-green ; either side of crown black ; back 
warm brown; tail feathers sharply pointed, the middle 
feathers longest; breast buffy with black streaks; belly 
white or whitish; yellow at bend of wing and in front of 
eye. Length—s5.o0. 
This bird might be mistaken for the yellow-winged spar- 
row; its darker colour, greenish tone on back of head, longer 
tail, with the outside feathers the shortest, should serve to 
distinguish it. 
Immature birds in first plumage have no spots on the 
breast. (Chapman.) 
44 
