Descriptive List 249 



iu summer by Sherman or C. S. Brimley. At Blowdng Rock it was found breeding 

 by S. C. Bruner in 1907; at Cranberry, observed by P. Laurent in the summer of 

 1892; Asheville, seen carrying food (Pearson), July 26, 1902; Montreat, building 

 a nest, June 27, 1910 (Pearson); and at Swannanoa, where CoUett reports it as 

 common in the summer of 1908 along the valley of the Swannanoa. Besides these 

 records, Sherman found the l)irds common in late June, 1909, at Patterson, Cald- 

 well County; Linville, Mitchell County; and Blo-\ving Rock, Valle Cruris, and 

 Boone in Watauga County, while still later observations show it common in Hay- 

 wood, jNLidison, Cherokee, Avery, McDowell, and Buncomlje counties, ranging from 

 1,600 feet upwards. These records seem to show that it is now pretty well dis- 

 tributed through the moimtains in summer, although more common in their north- 

 ern half. 



When these records are con.sidered in view of the fact that earlier ornithologists 

 failed to find Song Sparrows in the mountains in summer, they seem to indicate 

 that the l^ird is raj^idly extending its breeding range southward in the Alleghany 

 Mountains. 



Our coastal breeding records are fewer, liut present an even more interesting 

 phase of distriliution. On Pea Island the birds have l^een discovered breeding by 

 Bishop; at Ocracoke, found very common and singing by Pearson in July, 1906; 

 at Fort Macon, near Beaufort, where Coues recorded them as resident in 1870; and 

 from Ocracoke to Cape Hatteras found not uncommonly by Bruner and Feild in 

 late July, 1913. 



It seems curious that a bird should breed in what are looked upon as the hottest 

 and coolest parts of the State and not in the intervening country; yet this may 

 possibly be explained by the fact that the humidity of portions of our coastal 

 region is so great as to reduce the mean temperature. It may be remarked in pass- 

 ing that the same peculiar distribution occurs in the case of a few other birds and 

 of some mammals. 



The nest of the Song Sparrow is made of grasses, weed stems, and leaves, lined 

 with finer material of the same kind or with hair. It is built on the ground or in 

 a low bush. The eggs are greenish white, spotted with dark reddish brown. Aver- 

 age size .80 X .58. 



In winter the Song Sparrow chiefly inhabits dense thickets. 



243. Melospiza lincolni lincolni {And.). Lincoln's Sparrow. 



Description: Ads. — Upperparts .streaked with black, brownish gray and grayish brown; tail- 

 feathers narrow and rather pointed, the outer ones shortest; underparts white, rather finely 

 streaked with black, a liroad cream-buff liand across the breast, a cream-buff stripe on either 

 side of the tliroat; sides tinged with cream-buff. L., .5.7.5; W., 2..50; T., 2.40; B., .41. 



Re7ttarks. — The cream-buff band on the breast is distinctive of this species. (Chap., Birds 

 of E. N. A.) 



Range. — North America, breeding far northward. 



Range in North Carolina. — So far, only known as a straggler in the mountains. 



We know of only one Lincoln's Sparrow having been recorded in North Caro- 

 lina. This was a male, which was taken by Cairns on the French Broad River in 

 Buncombe County, May 6, 1893. (Fig. 198, page 250). 



