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EMBERIZA SAVANNA— BONAP. 



SAVANNAH BUNTING. 



Savannah Finch Fringilla savanna, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Fringilla savanna, Bonap. Syn. 

 Savannah Sparrow, Fringilla savanna, Nutt. Man 

 Savannah Finch, Fringilla savanna, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — A yellow line from the nostril over the eye ; 

 medial band the same color, but paler ; shoulders of the wings 

 white. Adult with the upper parts light grayish-brown, streaked 

 with dusky ; upper part of the head dusky brown, with a narrow 

 pale yellow band; a line over the eye yellow; a line of dusky 

 from the bill down the sides of the neck ; a similar marking on the 

 sides of the throat, which, with the fore neck, a portion of the 

 breast, and sides of the body, are streaked with dusky ; rest of the 

 lower parts white ; quills dark brown, the secondaries and their 

 coverts broadly edged with lighter brown ; tail feathers dark brown, 

 edged with dull white. Length five inches and a half, wing two 

 and five-eighths. 



This species is found in all the Atlantic districts, and was ob- 

 served by Mr. Audubon as far north as the coast of Labrador. 

 With us it is quite common. It has a partiality for the high, dry 

 lands, frequents the grass-fields and open grounds unincumbered 

 with woods, and is very plentiful on the Hempstead Plains, over 

 which section of country one can rarely pass, during summer, 

 without meeting with this handsome Sparrow. Although not very 

 familiar, it sometimes alights on the garden-fence, or, perched on 

 the shrubbery near the house, it delivers its varied notes. In gen- 

 eral it prefers the uplands, but sometimes it is seen along the sandy 

 shores in quest of coleopterous insects. The nest is placed on the 

 ground, formed almost entirely of dry grasses, selecting the finer 

 blades for finishing the interior. The eggs are pale bluish, spotted 

 with umber brown. 



