Descriptive List 235 



In eastern North Carolina the Vesper Sparrow arrives near the middle of Octo- 

 ber and leaves about April 15, though it has been once observed as late as May 11 

 at Raleigh. 



The nest is built on the ground at the foot of a small bush or weed, and is com- 

 posed of grass with a lining of hair. The eggs are commonly four in number, of a 

 pale pinkish-, greenish-, or graJ^sh-white ground-color, marked with blotches, dots, 

 and lines of various shades of rusty brown. Size .80 x .60. 



On the wing this bird is easily distinguished from other small sparrows by the 

 white outer tail-feathers, which ordinarily are plainly evident when the bird is in 

 flight. 



Genus Passerculus 



A genus of small groimd-sparrows, with the tail-feathers neither stiff, nor marked 

 with white. Three forms have been recorded from the State. 



KEY TO SPECIES 



1. Superciliary stripe white in front; wing usually ove"" 2'8 inches. Ipsivich Sparroio. 



1. Superciliary stripe yellow in front; wing usually under 2'8 inches. See 2. 



2. Bill stout, averaging .24 deep at base. Savannah Sparrow. 



2. Bill less stout, averaging .21 deep at base. Western Savannah Sparroio. 



223. Passerculus princeps (Mayn.). Ipswich Sparrow. 



Description: Ads. — Usually with a spot of sulphur-yellow before the eye and on the bend of the 

 wing; upperparts pale brownish-ashy, streaked on the head, back, and upoer tail-coverts with 

 black and cinnamon-brown; the nape and rump with few or no streaks; a white line over the eye; 

 wings grayish brown, outer webs of greater coverts and tertials margined with pale ocliraceous- 

 buff; tail grayish brown, the outer wel:)s of the feathers margined with brownish-ashy; underparts 

 white; breast and sides lightly streaked with blackish and ochraceous-buff. L., ti.25; W., 3.00; 

 T., 2.25; B., .40. (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. — Atlantic coast of United States, breeding on Sable Island; south in winter as far as 

 North Carolina. 



Range in North Carolina. — At present only recorded from Pea and Bodie islands, and from 

 Currituck County. 



The Ipswich Sparrow is a rather large, pale-colored sparrow, occurring along the 

 Atlantic coast, and in this State is known as a winter visitor on Pea and Bodie 

 islands, where Bishop found it to be common in February, 1901. It has also been 

 noted on January 2, 1915, in Currituck County. {Bird-Lore, 1915, p. 36.) 



224. Passerculus sandwichensis savanna {Wils.). Sav.^nnah Sparrow. 



Description: Ads. — ^A pale yellow mark over or before the eye and on the bend of the wing; 

 general tone of the upperparts brownish black, the centers of the feathers black, margined first 

 by rufous or ocliraceous-buff, then by ashy; wings fuscous, the outer webs of the feathers margined 

 with ochraceou.s-buff; tail fuscous, the outer web of the feathers margined with whitish; under- 

 parts white, heavily streaked with blackish and rufous, the breast-feathers tipped with wedge- 

 shaped marks. Ads. and Im. in winter. — -Similar, but color deeper, more suffused with ochraceous. 

 L., 5.68; W., 2.62; T., 2.09; B., .40. (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from nortliern United States northward. 



Range in North Carolina. — Winter visitor tlu'oughout the State, especially common immediately 

 along the coast. 



The Savannah Sparrow occurs at Raleigh from October until early May, being 

 found in small numbers in almost any grassj^ situation. At Fort Macon Coues 



