Wayne: Birds op South Carolina. 119 



earlier in the month of October and remain later in the spring, 

 but the first comers are hard to detect. This species is erratic 

 in its movements, for during some winters it is positively rare, and 

 again it is exceedingly abundant. During the months of January, 

 February, and March, 1888, I found enormous numbers of these 

 beautiful little sparrows near Yemassee. They arrive while in 

 full autumn plumage, but towards the last of November they be- 

 gin to moult the feathers about the head and throat. A speci- 

 men taken November 12, 1894, near Mount Pleasant, has the 

 under part very heavily suffused with ochraceous buff, while 

 the head, nape, and auricular region is yellowish olive green. 

 This specimen is exceptionally richly marked and is very ru- 

 fescent. 



The species inhabits only low, wet lands where there is a growth 

 of broom grass. It is a hard bird to flush from the ground, where 

 it spends its time while here, rarely resorting to trees unless per- 

 sistently hunted. 



Henslow's Sparrow breeds from Virginia to southern New Eng- 

 land, and northwestward to Minnesota. 



205. Passerherbulusleconteii (Aud.). Leconte's Sparrow. 



This secretive little sparrow was discovered by Audubon on 

 the prairies of the Upper Missouri River in 1843. The first re- 

 cord of its occurrence in South Carolina was reported in 1882, 

 by Mr. Leverett M. Loomis,^ who obtained specimens in Chester 

 county from November 11, to December 10, 1881. On Jan- 

 uary 26, 1886, I secured my first specimen within seven miles 

 of Charleston. This specimen was recorded by my friend Mr. 

 William Brewster in the Auk.^ Its capture was the first record 

 for the coast region. From December 6, 1893, to January 24, 

 1894, I observed this species in great numbers near Mount Pleas- 

 ant and preserved thirty- two specimens. An account of the 

 habits and abundance of the birds was published by the writer 

 in the Auk.^ 



Leconte's Sparrow inhabits low lands which have grown up 

 in broom grass, and is exceedingly difficult to flush. When flushed, 

 it generally flies in a straight line and drops suddenly into the 

 grass, and consequently must be shot while on the wing. It is 

 very erratic in its migrations from the northwest, and from four 



> BuU.Nutt. Orn. Club, VII, 1882, 54. « III, 1886, 410. » XI, 1894, 256. 



