22 SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. 



Genus. SPARROWS. Ammodramus. 



Bill, slender, not thick, nor swollen at base. Upper 

 mandible somewhat curved. Wings, longer than the tail, 

 which is considerably rounded and with the feathers sharp- 

 ened at their tips. These are quite slender Sparrows, which 

 inhabit the grassy salt marshes of our coast. The sexes 

 are similar. 



£harp=tai!ed Sparrow. 



Ammodramus caudicutus. 

 Plate IV, Fig. 2. 



General color deep buff. Top of head yellowish brown, 

 with a central stripe of ashy. Back, streaked with yellowish 

 brown. V/ings and tail brown, with the feathers edged with 

 huffy. Edge of wing yellow. The buff below is darkest across 

 breast and on sides, where it is streaked with brown. Re- 

 maining lower parts, white. Young birds and nestlings, 

 aside from being more buffy do not differ greatly from adults. 



Dimensions. Length, 5.50 ; stretch, 7.70 ; wing, 2.55 : 

 tail, 1 77; bill. 47 ; tarsus, .77. 



Comparisons. This is without doubt the most buffy of all 

 of our Sparrows, no other species having this peculiar color- 

 ation anywhere near as extended, excepting the Yellow-wing 

 and Ilenslow's which are, however, shorter, thicker birds with 

 the back marked with reddish. The slender form and bill 

 and pointed tail feathers will also serve to distinguish this 

 species. For comparisons with the two following sub-species 

 see descriptions of these. 



