ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS 271 



LONG BEACH. Common transient; regular, often common 

 in winter; October 13, 1912 (Griscom) and October 26, 1921 

 (Bicknell) to April 12, 1917 (Bicknell) and April 21, 1912 (Gris- 

 com); casual as early as September 28, 1912 (Weber, specimen 

 taken). 



New York State. Occasional winter visitant to the beaches 

 on the south shore of Staten Island (Chapin). 



SAVANNAH SPARROW (Passerculus sandwichensis savanna) 



This species is most likely to be mistaken for a Song Spar- 

 row. Its nervous, jerky flight, short tail, and very high, fine 

 tsip, should distinguish it on the wing. If seen perched, the 

 white median head stripe, the yellow line over the eye, and 

 the absence of a central breast spot are points which are 

 readily observable. To my mind, however, the best char- 

 acter is the short tail in combination with the slender, pink, 

 semi-translucent legs. 



The Savannah Sparrow is a common transient throughout 

 our area, preferring marshes, old fields and pastures. The 

 spring migration is exactly the same as that of the Vesper 

 Sparrow, but it starts moving south much earlier in the fall, 

 by the middle of September at least. On the coastal marshes 

 it frequently winters, but is unrecorded in the upland country 

 inland at this season. As a breeding bird, this species is 

 associated with the uplands of the Canadian Provinces and 

 New England. It is very surprising, therefore, that it is quite 

 unknown in similar country in our area, and does not even 

 occur at higher levels in northwestern New Jersey. Instead 

 it nests locally on the salt meadows near the coast, and is 

 unquestionably increasing. 



Long Island. Abundant transient, frequently wintering. 

 Steadily increasing as a summer resident. Now known from 

 Orient, Gardiner's Island, Mastic, the meadows at the head of 

 Jamaica Bay (Fleischer and Wiegmann), Jones Beach and Long 

 Beach. At the last two localities it can be positively stated that it 

 did not nest ten years ago. On May 28, 1922 at least six pairs were 

 found on Jones Beach, and a nest with four eggs collected as a matter 



