FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES 275 



Spizella pusilla (Wils.) 



FIELD SPAREOW. 



Popular synonyms. Field Chippy, or Chip-bird; Red-billed Chippy. 



MotaciUa juncorurn Gmel. S. X. i, 1788. 952 (based on Littlp Broicn Sparrow of Catesby). 



Fringilla junconnn Nutt. Man. i,1832.J99; ed. 1840, i. 577. 

 FringiUa pusilla Wils. Am. Orn. ii, 1810, 121, pi. 16, fig. 2.— AuD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 229, 

 pi. 139. 

 Emberim pusiUa AUD. Synop. 1839. 104; B. Am. iii,1841.77. pi. 1&». 



5pi2e«aiJU.'5iHaBp.lS38.— BAIBD. B.N.Am. 18.58, 473; Cat. N.Am. B. 18.59, No. 358.— COUES, 

 Key, 1872, 143; Check List, 1873,No. 179; B. N. W. 1874.148.— B. B.& K. Hist. N. Am. B. 

 ii. 1874.5. pi. 27, fig. 2.— RiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 214. 

 Spizella agrestis "(Baetk.)" Coues. 2d Check List, 1872, No. 271. 



Hab. Eastern United States, breeding throughout (except in Gulf States?) and win- 

 tering chiefly south of 38°. 



Sp. Chak. Bill brownish red. Crown continuous rufous, with a faint indication of an 

 ashy central stripe, and ashy nuchal collar. Back somewhat similar, witli shaft-streaks 

 of blackish. Sides of head and neck (including a superciliary stripe) ashy. Ear-coverts 

 rufous. Beneatli white, tingi-d witli yellowish anteriorly, the sides of the breast with a 

 rufous patch. Tail-feathers and auills faintly edged with white. Two whitish bands 

 across the wiug-coverts. Autur^nal specimens more rufous. Length about 5.75; wing,2.34. 



"This species is about the size of S. socialis, but is more rufous 

 above ; lacks the bhxck forehead and eye stripe ; has chestnut ears, 

 instead of ash ; has the bill red, instead of black ; lacks the clear 

 ash of the rump; has. a longer tail, etc. It is more like monticola, 

 but is much smaller; lacks the spot on the breast, and the pre- 

 dominance of white on the wings, etc. The young have the breast 

 and sides streaked, and the crown slightly so." {Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Although equally common witli the Chipping Sparrow, and in many 

 localities even more abundant, the little Field Sparrow is far less 

 kno\\"n on account of its more secluded habits. Instead of seeking 

 the society of man it almost wholly avoids the towns and seems in- 

 separably attached to the rural districts. It is by no means timid 

 or retiring, however, but prefers the country because only there 

 can it find those localities which are essential to its presence. 



The Field Sparrow inhabits all sorts of bushy localities, such as 

 hazel and blackberry thickets, old fields grown -up to weeds and 

 sprouts, the borders of prairies, etc. Its nest is built either on the 

 ground or not higher than two or three feet above it, and the eggs 

 are very different in color from those of the Chipping Sparrow, 

 being greenish or bluish white, thickly speclded with reddish brown. 

 Frequently the nest is built in gooseberry or currant bushes in a 

 farm-house garden, but oftener a more secluded spot is chosen. 



