BAY WINGED SPARROW. 35 



one taken later at Fresh Ponci, Cambridge, are tlie only speci- 

 mens which I have ever known to be found off the sandhills. 



The Ipswich Sparrows, behave much as do the Savannahs, 

 but are rather more shy while with us, rising at a longer dis- 

 tance away, and moving with a rapid zig-zag flight, _wili soon 

 dart into the nearest cover. - 



The first specimen of this Sparrow was obtained on Decem- 

 ber 4th, 1868, at Ipswich. At that time it was extremely 

 rare, but has since grown gradually more and more common 

 until it has become a fairly abundant species. Such, being 

 the facts regarding the history of this fine Sparrow, I do not 

 hesitate to affirm that I am thoroughly convinced that it offers a 

 practical example of the evolution of a species almost, if not 

 quite, within our time, its ancestor being the common Savan- 

 nah Sparrow, some form of which, (and this species appears to 

 be quite plastic ) wandering to Sable Island, became through 

 adaptation to changed environment, gradually transformed, vrith 

 successive generations, to the present Ipswich Sparrow. 



Song. The alarm note of this species does not differ from 

 that of the Savannah, but I have never heard the song, and 

 doubt if it ever sings off its breeding ground. 



Genus. BAY- WINGED SPARROWS. Poocaetes. 

 Bill and general form much as in the last genus, the terti- 

 aries are longer than the secondaries, but the wings and tail are 

 proportionately longer, while the feet are much smaller. The 

 shoulders are distinctly marked with bay ( reddish brown ), 

 and there are prominent white markings on the outer tail 



