jy,) GRA:SSQU1T 



and dotted ii-rciiularly with reddish hrown, purpHsh brown and lilue, these markings usually liecuming: 

 confluent on the'larger end, either formingaring or large blotch ; generally there are a few small markinij;s of 

 umber on the larger end. These eggs almost exactly resemble those of the Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla, 

 especially those which have the faintly blue background : on the other liand, it is quite difficult to distinguish 

 the dull ones from Certhiola bahamensis, but the nests of the two birds are quite different, those of the 

 present species being smaller. Dimensions of eggs, r>0 by Ji-') to .:>.■) by .75. 



HABITS. 



Tliif; interesting little bird i.s one of the must abnndant a.ul widely distributed 

 species on the Bahamas. I have fonnd it occuring everywhere that there is snfficient 

 foliao-e o-rowing to aflbrd it shelter. It ocenrs in Nassau in the groimds about the houses, 

 and in the pine woods on New Providence, as well as in thickets remote from haljitations ; 

 and on all other islands, even the most remote from settlements. For example, I found 

 it common and nesting on a little island, known as Leaf Key, which lies off the south 

 shore of Andros, nearly or quite fifty miles from any lium.in habitation. 



The Grassquits are lively little birds, and although 1 found tliem in the tall grass 

 which grows along the eastern shore of xAndros, they prefer thickets, among whicli tlieyare 

 perfectly at home, jumping nimbly about among the branches or darting swiftly across 

 the open places. Early in the morning the males may be seen perched on the topmost 

 branch of a tree singing. The song resembles somewhat that of the Yellow-winged 

 Sparrow, or at least part of it does. It begins with two, sometimes three, liquid notes, 

 given with a bell-like clearness, inmiediately followed by a lisping series of notes, sound- 

 in o- like " ze, ze, ze," considerahly prolonged, and this is the part which recalls the song 

 of the Yellow-winged Sparrow. I found them singing on January 22d, 1884, and they 

 continued to sing until June 15th of that year. They were silent, however, when I 

 visited the islands in the middle of November, 1887. 



An hidividual variation of the song consists in prolonging the first two notes into a 

 kind of twitter. The song of the young birds is very peculiar. The first notes, instead 

 of being given clear and bell-like, as in the adult, are prolonged into a wheezy whistle, 

 followed by a mere attempt to utter the lisping notes, and there are all gradations 

 between this rude imitation of a song by very young amateurs and the finished cantata of 

 the adult professional male songsters, these gradations being given by performers of 

 varying ages. 



The Grassquit begins to lireed in March. At Nassua on the 17th of this month I 

 found my first nest, wdiich was l)uilt in a bunch of vines that lay on the top of a bush, 

 about six feet from the ground. This contained two eggs at that time, and when I visited 

 it again on the 20th the number had not been increased. On March 20th I found a nest 

 in an orange tree, that stood in the yard of a Congo negro's house at Fox Hill. This 

 nest was placed about fifteen feet from the ground and contained three fresh eggs. In a 

 yard near, I found another nest built in a tamarind tree about the same distance from the 

 ground. This contained two slightly incubated eggs. March 23d T found a nest placed 

 in some grass, about ten inches from the ground. It contained two slightly incubated 

 eggs. Through March I continued to find nests about Nassau, mostly built in trees, 

 usually fruit trees which stood in yards near houses. 



