WHITE-THROATED SPAKROW. 17 



strciiked with dusky below everywhere, exccptbi;' on tlic ab- 

 domen, and the white markings are obscured with ^T-lloAvish. 



Dimensions. Length, 6.35; stretch, d.oo; wing, o.Oo; 

 tail, 2.85 ; bill, .48 ; tarsus, .00. 



Comparisons. Readily known in the adult stage by the 

 large size, black, white and yellow markings on the head, for 

 no other of our Sparrows have the head thus ornamented. 



Nests and Eggs. Nests placed on the ground, usually in 

 some open spot, frequently by the roadside, they are saucer- 

 shaped, composed of dried grasses and fine roots, somewhat 

 compactly woven together and the structure is lined with 

 horse hair and fine grass. Eggs usually four, or more rarely 

 five in number, varying from oval to elliptical in form, bluish 

 white in color, spotted, blotched and dotted, usually quite 

 coarsely, with reddish brown, umber and lilac, these markings 

 usually being distributed quite regularly over the entire sur- 

 face of the eggs. 



General Habits. This beautiful Sparrow is a spring and 

 autumnal migrant from Massachusetts southward, and a 

 summer resident in the more northern portions of New Eng- 

 land, w^intering from the Middle States to Florida. Yvhen 

 migrating they frequent the shrubbery on the sunny sides of 

 fences and walls, also along the borders of woodlands. At 

 this time they utter a sharp chirp of alarm when dii^turbed. 

 Tbey arrive in i^laspachusetts the last week in April, and 

 move leisurely northward, to their breeding ground, tlien be- 

 gin their journey in autumn, about September lingering in 

 Massachusetts frequently as late as the last week in October. 



