SPECIES 16. FRINGILLJi PASSERINE. 

 YELLOW-WINGED SPARROW. 



[Plate XXIV. Fig. 5.] 

 PEALE'S Museum, wVo. 6585. 



THIS small species is now for the first time introduced to the 

 notice of the public. I can, however, say little towards illustrat- 

 ing its history, which, like that of many individuals of the hu- 

 man race, would be but a dull detail of humble obscurity. It in- 

 habits the lower parts of New York and Pennsylvania; is very 

 numerous on Staten island, where I first observed it; and occurs 

 also along the sea coast of New Jersey. But though it breeds 

 in each of these places, it does not remain in any of them during 

 the winter. It has a short, weak, interrupted chirrup, which it 

 occasionally utters from the fences and tops of low bushes. Its 

 nest is fixed on the ground, among the grass; is formed of loose 

 dry grass, and lined with hair and fibrous roots of plants. The 

 eggs are five, of a grayish white sprinkled with brown. On the 

 first of August I found the female sitting. 



I cannot say what extent of range this species has, having 

 never met with it in the southern states; though I have no doubt 

 that it winters there with many others of its tribe. It is the scar- 

 cest of all our summer Sparrows. Its food consists principally 

 of grass seeds, and the larvae of insects, which it is almost con- 

 tinually in search of among the loose soil and on the surface, 

 consequently it is more useful to the farmer than otherwise. 



The length of this species is five inches, extent eight inches; 

 upper part of the head blackish, divided by a slight line of white; 

 hind head and neck above marked with short lateral touches of 

 black and white; a line of yellow extends from above the eye 

 to the nostril; cheeks plain brownish white; back streaked with 



