THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 239 



white streak ; tertials edged with brownish ; under surface as far down as 

 middle of breast, slate, continuous with that of the upper parts, remainder 

 white ; bill, pinkish. 



Adult female. — Similar, but paler, and tinged with brown above. 



Young in first lointer. — Similar, the females still browner. 



Young in first sumniei: — Grayish-brown, streaked with black above ; below, 

 white, heavily streaked with dusky, except on the middle of the abdomen. 



Abundant winter visitant. Arrives October 1st, departs April 25th. 



Tlie J unco is probably our best known winter bird. Its slate-colored 

 plumage and conspicuous white tail feathers easily distinguish it from 

 other small birds. 



The Juncos remain in considerable flocks throughout the winter, 

 frequenting the fence rows and edges of the woods, except when severe 

 weather drives them into the garden and up to the doorstep in search 

 of food. In early spring we hear them trilling their low, Chippy-like 

 song, though for the most part they have only a Sparrow-like chirp 

 while they are with us. 



The Junco may possibly nest in the extreme northwestern corner of 

 the State, as it is a summer bird in Pike county, Pennsylvania, just 

 across the river, but as yet we have no record of the fact. 



581 Melospiza meiodia (Wilson). 

 Song Sparrow. 



PLATE 59. 



Adults. — Length, 6.50. Wing, 2.50. Above, wood brown, grayer on the 

 rump and hind neck ; back broadly streaked with black ; head narrowly 

 streaked with black and with a gray median stripe ; wing-coverts and tertials 

 with black centers ; under parts, white, tinged with buff across the breast ; 

 streaked on breast and sides with black and rusty brown, streaks merged on 

 the center of the breast forming a spot ; a pale gray line over the eye ; a buff 

 stripe from the base of the bill, bordered above and below with black. 



Young in first summer. — Similar, but more bufify above and below, streaks on 

 the breast narrower. 



'Nest of grass, leaves and rootlets, either on the ground or in a low bush ; 

 eggs, four to five, bluish-white, thickly blotched with brown, .80 x .60. 



Abundant resident; more generally distributed in summer. 



The Song Sparrow is found throughout the State in swamps, and 



thickett along the borders of streams, and about our gardens, though 

 less 'common in the last locality than it was prior to the arrival of the 

 English Sparrow. 



