278 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



reddish ; haunts orchards and wooded growths ; song a liquid warble ; 

 call-note a metallic chink, frequently uttered while on the wing. 



617. PURPLE FINCH. 



D. Length about C-00; plumage dull blood-red; mandibles crossed at 

 the tips; generally found in small flocks in coniferous woods ; utters 

 a clicking or whistled note when on the wing (rarely found south of 



New England utter May 1) . . 621. RED CROSSHILL. 



. Breast white, tinged with brown; region about the bill red, a yellow 

 baud iu the wings (rare except in the vicinity of New York city). 



Kn:oi'KAN GOLDFINCH. 

 IV. Breast without either yellow, red, or blue. 



1. L'nder parts diMinctly streaked or spotted. 



A. Outer tail-feathers white, showing conspicuously when the bird 

 Hies; haunts dry fields and roadsides; song loud and musical. 



640. VESPER SPARROW. 



B. Outer tail-feathers not white. 



a. Song loud and musical; an abundant and familiar bird of gen- 

 eral distribution ; spots on the breast tending to form one larger 

 spot in the center; crown umber, a whitish line over the eye. 



681. SONG SPARROW. 



b. Song not loud and musical ; short and generally unattractive ; 

 haunts wet meadows or marshes; pusses most of the time on the 

 ground, rarely perching far from it, and when flushed generally 

 returning to it 



6*. A buffy line over the eye and at the side of the throat, breast 

 generally washed with luitly ; haunts only salt marshes (rarely 

 found far from the vicinity of the seashore.) 



"iy. Sll A UP-TAILED SPAHROW. 



ft*. No buff on the sides of the head or breast; upper part* black- 

 ish; song Mp-tx'if' txij'fi -' -n'r-r-r : rarely breeds south of 

 New York city ; haunts both suit- and fresh- water marshes. 



642a. SAVANNA SPARROW. 



i. Back reddish, head and neck buffy olive; haunts generally 

 wet pastures; son^r ;l ii inconspicuous gee-wick (rather rure, liv- 

 ing in small colonies of local distribution). 



647. HENSLOW'S SPARROW. 



2. Dnder parts not distinctly streaked or spotted. 



A. Throat pure white, sharply defined from the grayish breast, a 

 yellow spot over the eye; crown Mack, with a central stripe of 

 white; haunts thickets or bushy woodlands; song a high, clear, 

 musical whistle ; call-note a sharp chink. 



658. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. 



. Throat and breast black. 



a. Sides of the throat and belly white, crown ash, sides of the 

 head chestnut P. 282. HOUSE SPARROW. 



b. Length 8-00; sides of the body light rufous, outer tail-feathers 

 tipped with white; haunts thickets and bushy woodlands; call- 

 note a vigorous towhee or chfe-wink 687. TOWIIEE. 



