Birds of Indiana. 967 



when the day is gone and darkness reigns, they sing on. Mr. Beck- 

 ham mentions the ventriloquial effect of their voices. When sur- 

 prised, the birds, instead of iiying, run or glide through the grass, 

 like a mouse or snake, and utter a sound more like the hissing of 

 a snake than the scolding of a bird. It is said not to be difficult 

 to mistake the escaping bird for a gliding snake. The theory has 

 been advanced that Bachman's Sparrow imitates, as far as possible, 

 the movements and hiss of a snake, as a means of protecting its nest 

 (Nehrling, K. A. Birds, XII., pp. 149-151). 



134. Uenus MELOSPIZA Baird. 



^. Breast and sides distinctly streaked at all ages. 

 b^. Maxillary stripe and breast white, the latter heavily streaked. 



M. fasciata (Gmel.). 225 

 I)-. Maxillary stripe and breast buff, the latter lightly streaked. 



M. lincolni (And.). 226 

 a^. Breast and sides unstreaked, except in young (first plumage). 



M. georg-iana (Lath.). 227 



*225. (5i^l)- Melospiza fasciata (Gmel.). 



Song- Sparrow. 



Maxillary stripe, throat and other lower parts, white; sides and 

 crissum, washed with brownish; they and sides of throat streaked with 

 dark brown and black; breast mth broad wedge-shaped streaks of 

 black and brown, which often unite to form a large spot in the 

 center; crown, rufous, divided in the middle by dark gray streak; 

 each feather streaked with black; line over eye, light gray; stripe back 

 of eye, and one on each side of maxillary stripe, rufous brown; other 

 upper parts, rusty-grayish, streaked wdth brown and black; tail feath- 

 ers, rufous brown above, the middle feathers blackish along their 

 shafts, and often with obsolete wave markings. 



Length, 6.00-6.75; wing, 3.45-2.80; tail, 2.58-3.02. 



Eaxge. — Eastern North America, west to base of Rocky Moun- 

 tains; north to Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Breeds from Virginia, 

 northern Kentuck}'-, southeastern Indiana and northern Illinois, 

 northward. Winters from Indiana and Massachusetts, southward. 



Nest, on ground or in bush; of grass, leaves and bark strips, lined 

 with grass and hairs, ^ggs, 4-5; light greenish or bluish- white, 

 marked with brown; .79 by .59. 



The Song Sparrow is a resident throughout the State. In the 

 northern portion, most of them leave during the severest part of the 

 winter. This is more noticeable late years, since so many of the 



