THE HENSLOW SPARROW. 



ing his shoes and trampling vigorously. Some such method would doubtless 

 discover Grasshopper Sparrows' nests, but it is not recomended. The eggs 

 are quite unlike any others found in similar situations, but are likely to be 

 foredoomed by the presence of one or more of those of the wily Cowbird. 

 Two broods are usually raised in a season. 



The Grasshopper Sparrow is somewhat irregular in distribution, being 

 abundant in some localities and unaccountably absent in others apparently no 

 less favorable. There is reason to believe that it is extending its range, es- 

 pecially northward and eastward. Thus, it made its first appearance in Lorain 

 County in the spring of 1894, and has never been missing since. 



No. 28. 



HENSLOW SPARROW. 



A. O. U. Xo. 547. Ammodramus henslowii (Aud.). 



Description. Adult : Head above, nape, and sides of neck bright olive- 

 burf ; crown glossy black separated by median buffy line, gradually mingling with 

 the olive behind and passing out on the nape in a series of black spots ; the feathers 

 of the back and scapulars black, broadly margined with chestnut, and narrowly 

 edged with whitish ; wings chestnut, but bend and edge pale yellow, and flight- 

 feathers fuscous ; rump tawny saffron with black streaks ; middle rectrices and 

 upper coverts rufous, with black shafts ; below warm buff, paler and unmarked 

 on chin, with heavy sagittate spots on breast and sides ; middle of belly white ; 

 crissum tawny; lores and cheeks buff; maxillary and post-ocular stripes and 

 rictal stripes enclosing auriculars, black ; bill reddish brown ; feet yellow. Young 

 \irds lack much of the olive-buff above, and are white rather than buffy below. 

 Length 4.61 ( 117.1) : wing 2.07 (52.6) ; tail 1.93 (49.) : bill .42 (10.7). Females 

 slightly smaller. 



Recognition Marks. Warbler size : olive-buff of head and neck above con- 

 trasting with chestnut and black of back ; warm buff with black markings of 

 breast and sides. 



Nest, similar to that of preceding species. Egg-s, 4 or 5, pale greenish- or 

 grayish-white, heavily dotted and blotched with reddish brown and lilac. Av. 

 size, .75 x .57 (19.1 x 14.9). 



General Range. Eastern United States west to the Plains, north to southern 

 Xew England and Ontario. 



Range in Ohio. Very rare or casual summer resident. Found in Lorain 

 county, and during the season of 1894, only. 



