POCECETES CRAMINEUS. ^^' 



GENUS Vin. I'Oa'.CKTKS. TIIF, IJAY-WIXCED Sl'AUKOWS. 



Cvs. Cm. TSUI, ijvilc Ihirk Iml piiinlcd. Wiiu/s. loni/i r llian llii hiil, ii^liii>t h considcralily farkfd, Ijul with the outer 

 fin/hcrs xlijhtli/ slwrlcncd. Tcrliarics, about equal in Ic.wjth U) the secondaries. Sternum, proimrlionaleljj narrower than 

 tliat of Pnsserculus, witli the keel hiijhcr, and the coraeoids slorrter. Size, medium . 



The sIhiuIiIcts are prominently marked witli eliestnut, ami the outer tail featliers are white. There is no yellow super- 

 ciliary line. All the speeics are .streaked aliovc and belijw. 



POCECETES GRAMINEUS. 

 Bay-winged Sparrow. 



Poocirtes gramineus Baird. Birds N. A.; 1858, 447. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cri. Form, roliii'it. Size, lar^e. Tongue, very tliin and horny, bifid at the extremity lint without the terminal 

 cilia Sternum, as given above. 



Color. Adult in summer. Yellowish-rufous above, streaked every whei-e but more broadly on the back, with dark- 

 brown. Wings and tail, dark-brown, with the outer edges of all the feathers yellowlsli-rufous. Shoulders, ehestnut. 

 There are two whitish wing bais. ]5eneath, ineluding under wing coverts, yellowish-whitP, streaked on the throat, breast 

 sirles, and tlanlts, witli dark-brown. Outer webs of two (juter tail feathers, terminal portion of inner welis, and a small sjiot 

 on next Jiair, pure white. Bill, brown, ligliter on lower mandible. Feet, brown. 



Adult in winter. Quite similar to the above, but there is a tinge of yellowish-rufous across the breast and on the sides 

 and Hanks. The streakings above are broader. 



Youncj. In this stage there is a general suffusion of yellowish-rufous above and below, while the white of the tail is 

 restricted to the outer feathers. The chestnut of the shoulders is streaked with dusky. 



Nesllinys. Are finely streaked on all portions excepting abdomen and under tail coverts witli dusky. The shouldci-s 

 show but little chestnut and there is but a slight indication (^f wing bai-s which arc rufms. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 There is a general uniforiliity of color but occasionally there will be fewer streaks below when they will be narrower. 

 TIic throat is sometimes white, when the streakings form maxillary lines. Known from all other sparrows by the white 

 of the tail combined with the streakings above and below. Distributed in summer across the Continent, from the latitude 

 of I'cnnsylvania, north at least to that ofCanada. Winters from the latitude of Virginia, south to Jliddle Florida. 



1)I.MEX.S10NS. 

 Averagp measurements of twenty specimens. Length, f)-2!); stretch, l(V(i4; wing, 3-2-2; tail, 2-42; bill, -85; tarsus, 

 55. Longest specimen, 0-67; greatest extent of wing, U-15; longest wing, ^'V^: tail, 270; bill, -88; taiyus, -CO. Shortest 

 sjiccimen, 5-50; .smallest e.xtent of wing, 10-25; shortest wing, 3-00; tail, 2-.30; bill, -8(1; taivu-;, •.W. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



M'.s/s, iilaced on the ground. They are slight structures, composed of dried gra.ss. Dimensions; external diameter, 

 3-00, internal, 2-50. External depth, 2-00, internal, 1-80. 



E(j<js, oval in form, ashy-white in color, spotted, blotched, and lined, with black, brown, and umber. The lines are 

 irregular in shape and are usually darker than the other markings. Dimeasions, from •70 x -55 to '70 x -00. 



HABITS. 



By the middle of March, when the icy covering which has en.shrouded the eartli all 

 winter is commencing to yield before the solvent rays of a genial snn, and the glittering 

 .surface Is checkered witli ever widening spots and patches, the song of the Bay-winged 

 Sparrow can lie heard. At first there are but one or two, but they soon iiu'rcase in number 

 and make the air of the early spring morning vocal with their fine melodies. This lay is 

 not unlike that of the Song Sparrow, or at least the first lew notes are quite simibir, but 

 the termination is entirely different, being a kind of discmniecfed warlilc, yet the elfect is 

 u'duderfuUy pleasing. 



This species like the Savannah is cxtrcnn ly fond of the gras.sy sections but does not 



