Chap. 3. 



BIRDS OF VERMONT. 



o/ 



THE BAY WINGED AND SAVANNAH BUNTINGS. 



THE SONG SPARROW. 



spiral direction, passing several times a- 

 round the spot on which they are to alight. 

 They are much more plentiful in some 

 winters than in others, and are generally 

 known by the name ot White Snow Bird. 



THE BAY-WINGED BUNTING. 



Emberiza graminca. — Gmel. 



Description. — General color of the 

 upper'parts light brown, streaked and mot- 

 tled with darker ; lesser wing-coverts red- 

 dish-brown ; first quills margined exter- 

 nally with wliite ; outer tail feathers mark- 

 ed with an oblique band of white ; a nar- 

 row circle of white round the eye; throat 

 and breast yellowish white ; the latter and 

 fore part of the cheeks streaked with dark 

 brown ; sides and belly yellowish brown, 

 fading into white towards the tail, and 

 sparsely streaked with dark brown ; wings 

 with the 3d and 4th quills longest; plum- 

 age compact ; tail ratlier long ; tarsus, 

 toes, and claws flesh color. Length 5^, 

 spread 10. — Aud. 



HisTORv. — The Bay- Winged Bunting, 

 or Finch, is found in all the northeastern 

 portion of the United States. I learn 

 from Dr. Brewer that it breeds in Vermont 

 as well as other parts of New England, 

 and that its nest is placed upon the ground 

 without concealment, but that it uses 

 much art in decoying enemies from the 

 neighborhood of it. 



THE SAVANNAH BUNTING. 



Emhcriza savanna. — Wils. 



Description. — General color above 

 pale reddish brown, spotted with brown- 

 ish black ; the edges of the feathers be- 

 ing of the former color ; lower parts 

 white, the breast spotted and the sides 

 streaked with deep brown ; cheeks and 

 space over the eye light citron yellow ; 

 bill dusky above, pale brown beneath ; 

 wings and tail short, the latter emargin- 

 ate ; head rather large ; neck short. 

 Length 5.^, spread 8^. — Aud. 



History. — The Savannah Buntino-, or 

 Savannah Finch, as he is also called, is, 

 according to Audubon, one of the most 

 abundant and hardy species in the United 

 States. It breeds in this state, and con- 

 structs its nest very much in the manner 

 of the Song Sparrow, at the foot of a tuft 

 of grass, or in a low bush. The eggs, 

 from 4 to 6, are of a pale bluish color, 

 softly mottled with purplish brown. 



Genus Fringilla. — Linn^us. 

 Generic Characters. — Bill short, robust, 

 conic oil all sides and generally without a t)otcii ; 

 uiiper mandible wider than the lower, somewhat 



turgid and a little bent at the tip, without keel, de- 

 pressed at the upper part, and often prolonged in- 

 to an angle entering the feathers of the forehead ; 

 nostrils basal, round, covered by the f<-a!hers ; 

 tongue thick, aciiie compres.sed and bifid at the 

 tip ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe ; loe.s dis- 

 connected at the base ; hind nail largest. Wings 

 short ; 1st and 2nd primaries but little shorter 

 than the 3d and 4th, which are longest. 



THE SONG SPARROW. 



Fringilia mclodia. — Wi Ls. 



Description.. — Crown brownish chest- 

 nut, divided longitudinally by a grayish 

 line ; line over the eye light ash, becom- 

 ing white towards the bill; mottled above 

 and below with brown, chestnut and ash ; 

 much liglitest on the belly, each feather 

 being marked with brown along the mid- 

 dle, surrounded by chestnut and edged 

 with ash, giving the bird a striped appear- 

 ance, particularly on the back and lower 

 part of the breast; wings and tail chest- 

 nut brown ; bill dark horn color, lighter 

 below; legs light flesh-colored ; feet and 

 nails dusky. Length 6-j inches; spread 

 of the wings 8^ inches. Tail wedge-form, 

 2 inches longer than the folded wine's ; 

 1st primary short, 3d and 4th longest. 



History. — This is one of our most com- 

 mon and familiar sparrows. It arrives 

 early from the south, and in company with 

 the Blue Bird and Robin, ushers in the 

 spring with its cheerful notes, while the 

 snows are yet lingering upon the ground.* 

 This sparrow breeds in all parts of the 

 United States and Canada. The nest 

 is usually placed upon the ground but is 

 sometimes a little elevated above it in a 

 low bush. It is usually formed of dry grass 

 and lined with hair. The eggs, usually 

 5, are of a bluish gray color, thickly spot- 

 ted with different shades of brown. They 

 are very prolific, frequently paising three 

 broods in a year. TJie Song Sparrow is 

 common in our gardens, orchards and 

 meadows, preferring the open fields and 

 low bushes to the woods. They feed 

 upon worms, insects, larvte and seeds. 



*For the lime of tlicir appearance sec Parti— 13. 



