Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 559 



hopper Sparrow was usually seen and heard. It was noted August 

 5 and October 16, 1899. It was heard and seen May 5, 11 and 17, 

 and throughout the summer of 1901. It often stays near the 

 fences or margins of fields. It usually chooses a stone or a stump 

 or other elevation as a perch while singing its shrill grasshopper- 

 like song. It doubtless breeds in the region. The first one heard 

 and seen in 1901 was on May 5, and they were noted whenever the 

 clover field was visited after that. 



The Grasshopper Sparrow is probably not one of the aboriginal 

 species of the lake region, but has apparently come in after the 

 clearing up of the forests. It is one of the meadow birds which, 

 originally dwellers of the open plains, extend their range with the 

 removal of the forests, taking the place of the vanished forest 

 birds. Its life is subject to many vicissitudes, as the hay is some- 

 times cut during its nesting season, the nests destroyed, its whole 

 landscape rendered unfamiliar, and the birds driven away to other 

 fields. 



113. LECONTE'S SPARROW 



PASSERHERBULUS LECONTEl (Audubon) 



Only one example of this pretty and interesting little sparrow 

 has been observed by us at Lake Maxinkuckee. On the morning 

 of September 29, 1913, one was seen on the north side of Long 

 Point in a patch of Bulrush (Scirpus validus) . When disturbed 

 it would run rapidly along the shore among the rushes. When 

 too closely pressed, and only then, it would fly a short distance, 

 alighting again among the rushes and at once running some dis- 

 tance, so that it was often difficult to locate. It remained on this 

 section of shore all day where it was observed by us several times. 

 It was also seen the next day, but on the next it was not seen. 



This species is probably more common than the above record 

 would indicate; its quiet, elusive movements render it difficult to 

 see. 



114. LARK SPARROW 



CHONDESTES GRAMMACUS (Say) 



A rare summer resident; seen occasionally along the railroad 

 or the roadside at the edge of fields. Our notes contain no definite 

 records. 



115. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW 



ZONOTRICHIA LEUCOPHRYS (J. R. F.Mster) 



Common spring and fall migrant. First seen in 1899, on Oc- 

 tober 15; in 1900 on September 28 and 30, and on October 3, 12, 



36—17618 



