FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



297 



and probably Nova Scotia, and southward in migration along the Atlantic 

 coast" (D wight). 



Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept. 29 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, very common T. 

 v., May ; Sept. and Oct. 



Since this race was separated by me in 1887 few new facts have been 

 developed regarding it, except that, as I anticipated, it has been found 

 in other parts of the Maritime Provinces, and never far from salt water. 

 While frequenting brackish or fresh-water marshes, where the grasses 

 grow more luxuriantly than in the haunts of its southern relative, it 

 prefers the more open spots or those where damp ditches make high- 

 ways of escape for it afoot. It is locally abundant, particularly in the 

 great marshes that border the Bay of Fundy, but so retiring that, save 

 for its little song, its presence might be easily overlooked. Swaying 

 on a tall stalk of meadow rue or squatting on a convenient fence, the 

 males may be found at all hours of the day repeating their song a few 

 times and then flying to some new perch or burying themselves in the 

 grass. Occasionally toward nightfall one will mount into the air and 

 with set wings float down, fairly gushing with song, a habit shared by 

 the ordinary Sharp-tail and by the Seaside Sparrow as well. 



With these birds they associate in autumn, and may be flushed one 

 or two at a time from the strips of grass or reeds that are left on the 

 salt marshes along the ditches after the hay has been cut. 



The song is a hifsky, gasping effort, not very loud, and executed 

 with a nod of the head. It is sung in less than a second, and resem- 

 bles ksh-sh-sh-uolp, the last syllable occupying one fifth of the time 

 and rather musical compared with the harsh lisp that precedes it. 

 Tliey also have a fchejj of alarm, but it is the exception for them to 

 show much anxiety about their nests or young. The nest has never 

 been taken. J. Dwight, Jr. 



550. Ammodramus maritimus ( Wils.). Seaside Sparrow. Ad. 

 — A yellow line before the eye and on the bend of the wing ; upper parts 

 grayish olive-green; tail grayish brown, 

 the outer webs of the feathers mar- 

 gined with olive-greenish ; a dusky 

 line from the base of the lower mandi- 

 ble passes down the sides of the throat ; 

 breast more or less suffused with butfy 

 (wanting in summer specimens), and 

 indistinctly streaked with grayish ; 

 throat and middle of the belly white; 

 sides grayish. L., 6-00; W., 2-50; T., 

 2-20; B., -60. 



^aft^g.— Atlantic coast; breeds from Georgia to Massachusetts, and win- 

 ters from A'irginia to Georgia. 



Sing Sing, A. V. 



Fig. 84.— Seaside Sparrow. 



size.) 



(Natural 



