4FG PALLID SPARROW. 



('(ir.oR. Aihill in xiniimrr. I '|i|)Or |iui-ti,.n nl'liijily ydl.Avi ;!,-w;;ito, with the ccnteiv (jf tlii^ IVntlii'i's diii-k-lirown, (■n^ 

 i-ircl.'d by nil'.ui-^. 'I'op dC Ijonil, yrdl>)\vish-nit' iii-=, stvenkcil with ilark-lirown, but a median Hue of'ycildwish-whito cxtonds 

 i'.Miu the l)ill t.i ucfiput. Wings and tail, In-invn, with tlic imtar edges of all the fsatliers whitish. There is only a faint 

 iivlicati:in uimX". win,-; bay. Puve-waits benoatli with the maxillaries, breast, sidas, and flanks, streaked with brown which 

 is cd;;:'d with ruf.ius. Riuj; aro.und eyj an I suparciliary lino, yellow. Edge of wing, wdiite, tinged with ]>ale-yellow. 



YiiuiKj. QuiiJ lufais above, where tlio ((.lors are mure sull'ased. There is also no yellow .suiierciliary line, and the 

 bend of tlie wing is whito. Sexes similar in all stages. 



01!SERVATIONS- 



There is usually a clustsving of streakings on the breast forming a central spot, otlierwise there is a uniformity of col- 

 or. Kn.iwn from all other alli.id s])3ei3s l)y its jiale color and large size. It might be confounded with rostratus, however, 

 were it not for the large bill (f tl'.c latter. Found in the winter along the coast of Massachusetts, south to Long Island. 

 Doubtless breeds on some of the island.? off the co;ust of jVrctic America. Although princeps is not a bird of Florida, I have 

 veutiured to insert this description with the plate, considering the species of sufficient importance to justify this course. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements. Length, G-2o; stretch, IPOO; wing, 3-28; tail, 2-50; bill, 'Ifij tarsus, '95. Longest specimen, 

 fi-.'?0; greatest extent of wing, 11-20; longest wing, 3-30: tail, 2-60; bill, -52; tarsus, l-dO. Shortest specimen, 6-20; .small- 

 est extent of wing, 10-90: shortest wing, 3-10; tail, 2-40; bill, -10; tai-sus, -90. 



HAinTH. 



Oil December 4, 18()8, T was walking over the Ipswich stiud hills in search of Laphiml 

 Bantings, wlieu a little binl r,)se wihlly from the beach grass in front of me, I took a, snap 

 shot and killed the ilrst specimon of Passerculus princeps ever brought to notice. For two 

 years this was the only s[te(.inu'n in existence. I took two more, October 14 and 15, 1871,. 

 also on the Ii)3vvi;.:h sand hills, then tw.) werc^ t;dv(}n on Long Island and were sent to me 

 by Mr. II. Ilerrick for identiilcalion. After this several were obtained at Ipswich but it 

 was not until April 4, 1874, that I saw the bird in its full spring plumage. This speci- 

 men (a nial') of whij'i I give a, plate, I shot on a tree at Ipswich, a.bout a, mile irom the 

 beach. Mr. Wm. Brewster has since oljtainod a fine female at Point Lepreaux, N. B. ou 

 April 11, 1S7G. A third which was obtained at Cape Elizabeth, March 15, 1875, is in 

 the collecti;m of Mr. N. C. Brown of Portland. Mr. Jesse Wan-en found them quite com- 

 mon at Brant Rock in th(> autumn some two years ago. Mr. C. II. JNIerriam obtained one- 

 at New Haven, November 4, 1875, and Mr. II. B. Bailey records it from Gravesend, L. I. 

 Thus it will lie seen th.-tt the Pallid Sparrow may be found all along the coast from 

 New Brunswick to Long Island, and probably south of that point. Mr. Brown also saw it 

 at Lake Umbagog, N. II., but I think its occurrence so far inland is r^uite exceptional, as 

 it is without doubt a maritime species breeding on islands and sandy beaches of the far 

 North. I was disappointed at not finding it on the Magdalen Islands, Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, where I obtained nothing but typical savanna. Thus its nesting habits arc entirely 

 unknown. Neither did I ever hear it utter a note except the chirp of alarm which does 

 not differ from that of the Savannah. In habits j)rlnceps also resembles the latter named 

 species somewhat but is rpiitc timid, rising at long gun shot it will dart quickly over the 

 tops of the sand hills and alight in some thick patch of beach gi'ass through which it runs 

 niml)ly. I have sometimes seen it on the salt marshes associating with the Savannahs and 

 occasionally in apple orchards a short distance from the ocean, but it chooses those wind- 

 swept, sandy wastes which occupy so much of the sea coast of New England and adjacent 

 sections. I know of but few of the Sparrows that can be more readily distinguished thau 

 this species, which is due to its pale tints and large size. 



