410 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



migrate. Mr. Brownson observed it at Scarboro, September 

 17, 1902, (Norton J. M. O. S. 1904, p. 46). In habits it 

 appears to be rather secretive, running mouse-like through the 

 grasses and sedges. The song is uttered while perched on a 

 piece of driftwood or tussock. They also utter a "chip" of 

 alarm or concern. 



A nest sent me by the late Judge J. N. Clark was taken at 

 Old Say brook, Connecticut, June 8, 1895. This nest was 

 composed entirely of rather coarse sedges and marsh grasses, 

 lined with finer. It was on the ground among the salt grasses 

 in a wet meadow near the shore of Long Island Sound, woven 

 in among the green standing grass. The external height of 

 the nest is one and three-quarters and the internal depth three- 

 quarters inch. The diameter externally three and a half and 

 internally one and three-quarters inches. The eggs measure 

 0.73 X 0.55, 0.73 x 0.56, 0.72 x 0.55, 0.76 x 0.55, 0.72 x 0.54. 



Three to six, more usually four or five -eggs are laid, these 

 are greenish or brownish white, very thickly and finely spotted 

 and specked cinnamon brown. Some eggs are rather evenly 

 marked all over, but a majority are rather more heavily marked 

 about the larger end. Two broods are said to be reared, at 

 least in the more southern portions of their habitat, but judg- 

 ing from their rather late arrival in Maine possibly they may 

 not breed but once here. It is a matter for further investiga- 

 tion. 



The food consists of various marsh insects, beetles, larvae, 

 small crustaceans, snails and allied animate life in part, also 

 some vegetable matter. It seems very likely at certain seasons 

 the vegetable diet will be found to predominate. 



549.1. Ammodramus nelsoni (Allen). Nelson's Sparrow; 

 Nelson's Finch. 



Plumage : above darker than in the Sharp-tailed Sparrow, back more olive 

 brown, the feathers more broadly margined with whitish ; throat, breast and 

 sides washed with deep ochraceous buff ; streaking below absent or very 



