2^8 Dwight on a New Race of Sharp-tailed Sparrow. [July 



VI, 1881, 47)- The rirst record for New Brunswick is made by 

 Mr. Chamberlain who, with Messrs. Purdie and Daniel, obtained 

 five individuals at Hampton, June 21, 1SS1 (Ibid., VII, 1SS2, 104 

 and 122). One of these is now before me, — an undoubted 

 subvirgatus. The last record I shall refer to is Mr. Henshaw's 

 (Auk, III, 1SS6, 4S6) of three specimens of nctso?ii taken at 

 Cambridge, Mass. That of May 31, I have assigned on a pre- 

 vious page to the ranks of subvirgatus ; the other two, which I 

 have also examined, were taken October J, aiu l :,re undoubted 

 nelsoni. Mr. Henshaw suggests that "those having Sharp- 

 tailed Finches in their collections will do well to examine their 

 series thoroughly." This is excellent advice to follow, and I 

 earnestly hope that the new subspecies I propose will solve 

 difficulties that have heretofore presented themselves. 



The apparent scarcity of spring examples of this new variety 

 suggests the idea (probably erroneous) that it follows an inland 

 route of migration at this season, especially since its breeding 

 haunts are practically fresh water and inland meadows. One 

 accustomed to the salt marshes where true cauda cuius makes 

 its home would never dream of finding its northern representa- 

 tive inhabiting fields where the grass is knee deep, and where 

 the Bobolink and the Savannah Sparrow find it dry enough to 

 make their nests. And yet this is the character of the marshes 

 along the Petitcodiac River where I have found the birds in con- 

 siderable numbers. The Petitcodiac is one of the rivers empty- 

 ing into the Bay of Fundy when the tide is running out. The 

 Bay of Fundv appears to empty into these rivers when the tide 

 is running in, and long stretches of red mud arc rapidly covered 

 with the incoming water which, rising forty feet and more, has 

 acquired world-wide renown, especially in the geographies. 

 The marshes were no doubt overflowed at one time b}' the tide, 

 but are now protected by low dikes, and drained at low tide by 

 numerous narrow ditches, so concealed by overhanging grass that 

 the unwary collector is liable to disappear when he least expects 

 it. The river, more than a mile in width at Hillsborough, is 

 bordered by the marshes, which often extend over half a mile 

 back from the dikes. In the midst of such surroundings I found 

 the New Brunswick Sharp-tails last summer. They were abun- 

 dant in certain spots, but not easy to find on account of their 

 retiring dispositions. Even their song is inaudible at the dis- 



