THE SONG SPARROW. 83 
No. 39. 
SONG SPARROW. 
A. O. U. No. 581. Melospiza cinerea melodia (\Vilson). 
Synonym.—SILVER-TONGUE. 
Description.—Adult: Crown dull bay with black streaks, divided by dull 
gray line; superciliary stripe of lighter gray; rufous-brown post-ocular and 
rictal stripes, enclosing grayish brown auriculars; remaining upper parts red- 
dish brown, varied on scapulars, inter-scapulars, and inner quills by blackish 
centers and grayish edgings; wing-quills fuscous, broadly edged with rufous; 
tail rufous with dusky shafts and often obscure transverse barring of dusky; 
below, white or sordid, heavily streaked on sides of throat, breast and sides 
by black and rufous; markings wedge-shaped, confluent on sides of throat as 
maxillary stripes, and often on breast as indistinct blotch, elongated on sides 
and flanks; bill horn-color above, lighter below; feet pale brown. ‘The streak- 
ing both above and below is sharper and heavier in summer and fall than in 
spring, due to the wearing away of the white or rufous edgings. Individual 
variations are quite marked, but always conform to the general pattern. Length 
about 6.30 (160.); av. of five Columbus 
specimens: wing 2.59 (65.8); tail 2.61 
(66:3) = billl:47 (11-9). 
Recognition Marks. — Sparrow 
size; the heavy streaking of breast and 
back is distinctive. 
Nest, a bulky mass of dead leaves, 
twigs, grasses, etc., lined with fine grass, 
rootlets, and sometimes — horse-hair; 
placed indifferently in bushes or on the 
ground. Eggs, 4-6, greenish-, grayish-. 
or bluish-white, heavily spotted and 
blotched with reddish browns which often 
conceal the background. Av. size, .80 x 
eSON 20: 3)s= 15 ;)))- 
General Range.—FEastern United 
States to the Plains, breeding from Vir- 
ginia and the southern portion of the 
Lake States to the Fur Countries. 
Range in Ohio.—Of universal dis- 
tribution; abundant during breeding 
season save in southern portion. Resi- 
dent in middle and southern, and spar- 
ingly resident in northern Ohio. 
-hoto by J 
SILVER-TONGUE. 
