326 SINGING BIRDS. 



pleasant notes somewhat similar to the song of the Song Spar- 

 row, but sufficiently distinct. 



The Savanna Sparrow breeds more abundantly along the coast 

 of Massachusetts than in the interior, and perhaps this may apply 

 to all localities ; but the opinion expressed by many writers that it 

 is almost exclusively a bird of the sea-shore — of the salt-marshes 

 — is far from correct. I traced it up the valley of the St. John as far 

 as there were cleared fields or marshy meadows, and in no locality 

 was it more abundant than at Fort Kent, — the most northern point 

 of Maine. It occurs throughout the southern portions of Canada. 



These birds are rarely seen off the ground; an occasional perch 

 on a stone heap or a fence being the only deviation from this rule. 



IPSWICH SPARROW. 



Ammodramus princeps. 



Char. General appearance of a large pale Savanna Sparrow. Above, 

 grayish brown, each feather streaked with black and rufous ; crown stripe 

 dull buff or bufify white ; stripe over eyes similar but paler ; wings black- 

 ish brown, edged with rufous ; tail blackish brown tipped with white ; 

 beneath, dull white tinged with buff; chest and sides streaked with 

 brown. Length 6 to 6^ inches. 



Nest and Eggs. Unknown. 



This interesting bird was first described by Mr. C. J. Maynard 

 from a specimen taken by him at Ipswich, Mass., in i868. For 

 two years the type remained unique, and for several years later the 

 species was supposed to be rare. It has since been found all along 

 the Atlantic coast from Georgia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It 

 usually frequents the sea-shore or salt-meadows near by, though Mr. 

 N. C. Brown reports that he has seen it at Lake Umbagog, in the 

 interior of Maine. I met with it in New Brunswick only for a few 

 davs during the early spring; its breeding place is farther north. 

 When feeding on the sandy shore in company with other Sparrows 

 (the snow still covered the fields), it was not difficult to distinguish 

 the Ipswich from their congeners, but it is difficult to define the 

 distinguishing characteristics. 



A nest and eggs supposed to be of this species are in the National 

 Museum at Washington. They were taken on Sable Island, off 

 the coast of Nova Scotia; but the identification is too doubtful to 

 permit of their being accepted without question. The nest and 

 eggs are described as similar to those of the Savanna Sparrow, 

 the eggs being somewhat larger. 



