FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 293 



The song is insignificant — a weak, musical little trill following a 

 grasshopperlike introduction is of such small volume that it can be 

 heard but a few rods. It usually resembles tsip-tsip-tsip' se'e-e-s'i'-r-r. 

 More singing is heard toward sunset, when of a quiet evening the 

 trills are audible at greater distances. Each male seems to have a 

 number of favorite perches, weeds or fence posts, which are visited as 

 inclination dictates, but he is of too restless a disposition to remain 

 long on any of them. The most familiar note is a sharp tstp of alarm 

 or expostulation heard during migration, but so constantly employed 

 by both sexes in the breeding season, even on slight provocation, that 

 one gets to think of them as veritable scolds. 



They are more likely to be mistaken for the Vesper Sparrow, which 

 they resemble even in flight, than for any other except perhaps the 

 Ipswich and Sharp-tailed Sparrows. J. Dwight, Jr. 



546. Ammodramus savannarum passerinus ( Wils.). Grass- 

 hopper Sparrow ; Yellow-winged Sparrow. Ad. — Upper parts mixed 

 black, rufous-bi-own, ashy, and cream-butf ; crown blackish, a cream-butf 

 line through its center ; nape rufous-brown, 

 each feather with a small black central 

 spot and bordered by ashy ; back black, 

 the feathers bordered by cream-buff' and 

 with a small central tip of rufous-brown ; 

 rump rufous- brown and ashy; an orange 

 mark before the eye; bend of the wing 

 yellow, lesser wing-coverts yellowish olive- ^ ^«- ''^•~'spaj^ro^''^''''''PP^'' 

 green ; greater coverts tipped with whit- 

 ish ; tail-feathers pointed, of about equal length, dark grayish brown, the 

 centers of the feathers darker, the end half of the outer feather generally 

 dusky whitish ; under parts generally not streaked ; breast and sides buffy ; 

 belly white. Young in first plumage have the breast spotted with blackish. 

 L., 5-38 ; W., 2-38 ; T., 1-79 ; B., -43. 



Remarhs. — The yellow on the wing, unstreaked under parts, even, pointed 

 tail, and grayish mark on the outer tail-feather are the principal characters of 

 this species. 



Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds from the Gulf States northward 

 to Massachusetts and Minnesota; winters from North Carolina to Cuba. 



Washington, very common S. K., Apl. 15 to Oct. 25. Sing Sing, connnon 

 S. R., Apl. 27 to Oct. 23. Cambridge, rare S. R., May 15 to (?). 



Nest.1 of grasses, sometimes lined with hairs, on the ground. Eggs., four to 

 live, white, distinctly spotted and speckled with rufous, -73 x -54. 



Few common birds may be more easily overlooked than the Yellow- 

 winged Sparrow. Its terrestrial habits and weak notes place it among 

 the birds that you are not likely to find unless you know how and 

 where to look for them. I remember once introducing this bird and 

 its song to a visiting ornithological friend. On returning to his home, 



