268 Allison, The Sparrow of Mississippi. [^ 



uncommon in the late fall. I have had no opportunities for observation 

 in this county later than November 16, but, as an influx of these Sparrows 

 arrived on the 15th, there is reason to believe that the winter numbers 

 come in about that time. 



I first saw it on October 9, 1S97, when I secured one specimen; from 

 this time until November 1, when my brother took another, an occa- 

 sional elusive individual was seen. Until November 15, no more were 

 seen, but on that date a number, some ten or fifteen, came in, in company 

 with some Leconte's Sparrows (A. leconteii). Their general dark colora- 

 tion contrasted well with the broadly white-edged backs of the latter, 

 and made identification of both easy. 



Ammodramus leconteii. Leconte's Sparrow. — This species has 

 never, I think, been reported from Mississippi before, though Fuertes's 

 specimen from New York makes almost any locality seem probable. In 

 February, 1895, Prof. Beyer, of Tulane University, took a specimen on 

 Avery's Island, off the southwest coast of Lousiana. 



On the above mentioned occasion, November 15, my brother and myself 

 found eight or ten Leconte's Sparrows in Amite County, in an old field, 

 overgrown with crab-grass. This they seemed to prefer to the more open 

 and less weedy cotton-fields, and we found them very difficult of capture, 

 shooting only tw-o, one of which we were unable to find. We had no 

 time to explore other similar localities, or we should probably have 

 found them equally common there. Unfortunately we were unable to 

 remain after the next day, and Leconte's Sparrow in Mississippi sank 

 again into oblivion. From the comparative abundance in which we 

 found it on the single occasion, I incline to think it a regular winter 

 resident, or at least a regular visitor. 



A. maritimus and A. caudacutus are both represented in the marshes 

 of the coast; the Seaside Sparrow is very abundant, but the Sharp-tailed 

 I have not found common. Both are probably resident: the former 

 becomes extremely abundant about the first of October, and, after a 

 silence lasting through the summer, begins to sing in a lisping, wren- 

 like way that is very pleasing. 



Chondestes grammacus. Lark Sparrow. — This species rarely 

 wanders as far east as Mississippi, and the only specimen I know of from 

 that State was taken on September 4, 1S97, at Beauvoir, Harrison County, 

 by Mr. H. H. Kopman. The specimen is in Prof. Beyer's collection. 



Zonotrichia albicollis. White-throated Sparrow. — This, with the 

 exception of the Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiatia), is our common- 

 est winter bird, in suitable localities; the first individuals reach a latitude 

 of 31 a few days before the middle of October, and a gradual increase 

 folio 's until about the first of November, when the bulk arrives, and 

 every hedge and brush-pile is alive and vocal with Sparrows. They are 

 very common from about the 20th of October, but from November 1 to 

 March 1 is their particular season of abundance. 



The White-throated sparrow is the most faithful of our southern winter 



