FIELD SPARROW. 15 



pervading the bill and feet. It may be further distinguished 

 by the slender form. 



Nests and Eggs. Nests usually placed in low bushes, 

 often in a savin or small cedar, but occasionally on the ground. 

 They are deeply cup-shaped, about three inches and a half in 

 diameter, are composed of grasses and weeds somewhat loose- 

 ly arranged, lined with fine grass and horse hair. Eggs, four 

 or five in number rather elliptical in form, bluish white in 

 color, rather finely spotted over the entire surface with red- 

 dish brown and lilac. Dimensions .65 by .52. 



General Habits. The Field Sparrow comes to us from 

 the Southern States where they spend the winter, from the 

 middle to the last of April, and frequent the barren hillsides 

 which are grown up to savins and cedars. The males may be 

 found in such places perched on the topmost bough of some 

 tall cedar singing, but they are shy for Sparrows, and must be 

 approached with caution, for if they think the observer is be- 

 coming too familiar, they will instantly dive into the recesses 

 of the nearest savin. Then if dislodged from this retreat, they 

 will quickly dart into a more distant cover, moving with a 

 rapid eccentric flight. In autumn they leave their summer 

 homes, and associate with other Sparrows in the cultivated 

 fields. This species does not pass north of the White Moun- 

 tains. 



Song. The lay of the Field Sparrow is to my ear, one of 

 the sweetest of all bird notes. It consists of eight or ten notes 

 which begin low, gradually grow louder, then become softer, 

 when a series of quite distinct chirps are given and the per- 

 formance ends abruptly. The entire song is given with a pe- 

 culiar intonation that accords perfectly with the wilderness of 



