488 CIIOAD] STES ghammaca. 



occnr as nommonly on the sea shore, in faet I never found it breeding on the salt marshes., 

 [I iiv(iucntly chooses rye or other iirain fields in which to build its nests that are placed 

 on the ground, usually in some slight depression of the soil, but without any attempt at 

 concealment. Indeed the birds appear to avoid spots that are thickly covered with herb- 

 age, iuid wlien tliey select greensward will place their domicile on the most l)aiTen porti(m 

 wliere t'lerc is a, sparse growth of grass. The eggs are bud about the first of May, the 

 Bay-wing being one of the earliest nmong the Sparrows to breed, and then another litter is 

 deposited Liter. 



The brown-badceil female sits closely and is extremely difficult to distinguish when 

 on the ncsi, so flint one m;iy p;iss quite near the spot without noticing her. When start- 

 ed she will run away, seldom attempting to fly until she has gone some distance. Both 

 sexes exhibit great solicitude upon being disturbed and the females will feign lameness 

 like the Savannah. The Biiy-wings migrate with the other Sparrows and go as fu- south 

 as Middle Fba-idn,. hut are never found olTthe plantations where they spend their time run- 

 ning about bene;ilh the cottiai-plants or through the sugar-cane in search of fallen seeds, 

 occasionally catching insects, and to all appearance feeling as much at homo as when in 

 the com fields of New En.uland. 



CEXUy IX CIIOXDESTES. THE I'RAIPJE SPARKOWS. 



(iF.x. Cii. Dill, rallid- pohttcd. \\'in(js, lonijir tluin llic tail tphi<h is well romiilcd. Trr/inriia, xliortrr limn scrond- 

 arirs. Sternum, similar to that of Poacctcs, Lut is a Utile leider proportionately. Size, lar(je. 



Nearly all the tail L'athei-s ai'c in-oiiiinontly maikeil with white. l^upc■l■L•iliavy line, white. No streak ingshelow in tlia 

 adult stages but tlicre is a centriil spot c.n tlie lircast. 



CHONDESTES GRAMMACA. 

 Lark Pinch. 



Cliondesles ijrummaca l!(in., List, 1838. 



Sp. Cn. Form, rather slender. Size, large. Tonirue, thin and horny but witli no terminal fringe. Sternum, as given 

 nr.dor generic eharaeters. 



Uor.or.. Adult. Ui)]ier jiortion ol'Ixidy, yellowish-rufous, streaked on the baek and nape witli dark-lirown. Wings, and 

 two eentral tail feathers, limwn, with the outer edges of all the feathers yellowish-rufous, remainder of tail, lilack, with tlic 

 outer webs of outer featheis and terminal portion of all Tiut central pair, white. Top of head and ear coverts, che.stnut. 

 Jlecian line from bill to occiput, sujierciliary line, cre.scent below eye, yellowish-white. Beneath, white, tinged on the 

 breast, sides, and llanl.s, with yellowish. Forehead, line through eye, spot under white crescent, maxillary, and spot on 

 cLriter of lircast, black. Edge of wing, w-hite. Bill, brown, lighter at base of lower mandible. Feet, pale-brown. 



Young. The wl;it^ c n the tail is le.'^s extended. The black is not as dLstinct and tlie under portions are overwashed 

 ^vith yellowish. 



Nestlings. Arc streaked on the lireast. There is no indication of bai's on the wing and tlie coljrs above are more suf- 

 fasc<l. Sexes (juite .' imilar in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known by the white of the tail taken in connection with the chestnut, black, and white markings of the head. The 

 tongue, like that oi' Poceeetes gramineus is much slenderer than those of other members f)f this family which I have exam 

 iiied and is also remarkable in liaving no terminal cilia or hair-like fillers; there is a general unifoniiity of coloration, but the 

 eiie-i nut of the head vai ies slightly in individuals. Distributed through the United States west of the Oliio, wintering in 

 t':;' laore southern portions. It has, however, been seen at Washington by Mr. Ridgway in August, 1877. One was taken 

 at < lloucester in the autumn, some thirty years ago, and I had one brought in that was taken n.>ar my |ilace on Novemlier 

 2'3, IS77. Prof. Baird wrote me some three years since that a specimen was nbtaiu.'d in tlie autumn by Mr. W. B. i\Iooro 

 near Sarasota Bay, Florida. Tliis species appears to be spreading eastward. 



