104 Jeffries on the Ipsniich Sparrou: 



When first noticed they were very tame. If approached tliey would at 

 once crouch in the thin grass, or even on tlie bare sand, until we were 

 only a few feet from them, when, half erect, they would run a few yards 

 in a strai!2;ht line and again crouch. When put up they flew quickly for 

 some distance, then ran along the sand for many yards before stopping, 

 which rendered them very hard to find without a good dog. The later 

 comers were very shy, never allowing a near approach, but, running be- 

 fore the dog for several yards, would then rise wildly. 



At daybreak they would perch with the Savanna Sparrows on some 

 bush, fence, or ridge-pole, and fly freely to and fro ; later in the day they 

 were rarely seen unless carefully searched for, and not once did they give 

 any note or chirp of alarm. 



The thinly scattered beach grass at the edge of some fresh-water pond 

 seemed to be their favorite feeding-ground, though seen on the beach sea- 

 weed twice, and again with Shore Larks in straw stubble. 



]\Ir. Maynard in " The Naturalist's Guide," speaking of P. princeps, says, 

 " With P. savanna it cannot justly be compared, as it is much larger, and 

 has a shorter and more obtuse bill." In " The Birds of Florida " the 

 same author says that it is "readily distinguished, .... which is due to its 

 pale tints and large size." In Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's " North 

 American Birds," P. savanna is given as having the " superciliary stripe 

 yellow anteriorly," and P. princeps as having the "superciliary stripe white 

 anteriorly," and later, as having the "bill small." 



From a careful comparison of the specimens of P. princeps and P. sa- 

 vanna that I have access to, I have come to the conclusion that princeps 

 ought not to be retained as a species, but believe it is only a northern 

 form of P. savanna. As to the distribution of P. savanna, we find it 

 nearly throughout the United States, some passing even north to breed. 

 But in this, as in other species, the Northern races are the larger and the 

 Southern the darker, while the individual variation from any locality is 

 great. 



In Eastern Massachusetts, where both princeps and savanna occur, the 

 best opportunity for a comparison of their habits is offered. The breeding 

 habits oi princeps are unknown., but in nothing that is known do the two 

 forms vary. P. savanna is among our eai'iy spring migrants, the majority 

 of the birds passing north ; many, however, remain and breed. In Octo- 

 ber they begin to move south, and by tlie 20th many are gone. At about 

 this date come the princeps in small flocks, and are found with P. savanna 

 on the feeding-grounds. Early in the morning flocks of six or eight 

 birds are found moving along the edge of some pond, or perched in a 

 clump of bushes. These flocks consist in part of savanna and in part of 

 princeps, both often perching on the same twig and on good terms with 

 one another. If disturbed they fly together to some other spot. During 

 the first week of November the princeps arrive in force, while the sai'an- 

 na are fast disappearing, a few scattering birds remaining till late in the 



