20 NoliTII AMKlilCAN BIKDS. 



a whitisli niaxillarv stri{)e, l)Oi(lei\'d al»ov«' autl below by one of dark rufoiis-browti, and 

 with aiiotluT iVom behind the eye. The under parts are white : the juLrnlinn and sides 

 of liody streaked witii elear (hirk-biown. s«»nietiint\s with a rufous suffusion. On th«' 

 middle of the breast tliese marks are rather aifirrej^ated so as to torin a spot. Xo (hstinet 

 wlnto on tail or winirs. Lenirth of male, H.')(>; w inir, 2.r)8 ; tail. .'{.OO. iJill pale brown 

 above: yellowish at base beneath. Legs yeilowish. 



H.vn. Eastern United States to the hijrh Central IMains. 



S}n»ciinen.s vary soiiu'wliat in havinij: tlie stivaks* across tlio broast more or 

 less s])arso, the spot more or less distiiiet. In aiituinii the colors are iiioic 

 Mended, the li^lit maxillary strii)e tinned with yeUowish, the edges of the 

 dnskv streaks stron«dv sntlused with hrownish-rnfous. 



The young bird has the upper parts paler, the streaks more distinct ; the 

 lines on the head scarcely appreciable. The under parts are yellowish; the 

 streaks narrower and more sharply defined dark i)rown. 



As already stated, this species varies more or less from the above descrip- 

 tion in tlilferent parts of North America, its typical races having received 

 specific names, which it is necessary to retain for them as varieties. 



Habits. The common Song Sparrow of eastern Xorth ^Vmerica has an 

 extended ran«i:e of distribution, and is resident throughout the vear in a larj^e 

 part of the area in which it breeds. It nests from about South Carolina 

 north to the Ihitish Provinces of Xova Scotia and Xew J>runswick at the 

 east, and to a not WTll-defined limit in British America. The most northern 

 points to which it has been traced are the plains of the Saskatchewan and 

 'the southern shore of Lake Winnepeg, in which latter place Mr. Kennicott 

 found it breeding. It is said by Dr. Coues to breed in South Carolina, and 

 bv Mr. Audu])on in Louisiana, but I have never seen anv of their egi^s from 

 any point south of Washington. In winter it is found from Massachusetts, 

 where onlv a few are observed, to Florida. It is most abundant at this 

 period in North and South Carolina. It is not mentioned in Dr. Ger- 

 hardt's list as being found in Northern Georgia at any season of the year. 

 Mr. IJidgwav informs me that it does not breed in Southern Illinois. Its 

 song is not popularly known there, though he has occasionally heard it just 

 before these Sj)arrows were leaving for the north. This sjiecies winters there 

 in company with the Z. alhirolJh and Z. /cin'ophr/fs, associating with the for- 

 mer, and inhabiting brush-heaps in the clearings. 



To Massachusetts, where s])t'cimens have been taken in every month of the 

 vear, and where they have been heard to sing in Januarv, thev return in 

 large numbers usually early in ^larch, sometimes even in February. It is 

 probable that these are but migrants, j^assing farther north, and that our 

 summer visitants do not appear among us until the middle of April, or just 

 as they are about to breed. They reach Maine from the ir)tli to the 2r)th, 

 and breed there the middle of May. In ^lassachusetts they do not have 

 eggs until the first week in May, exce]>t in very remarkable seasons, usually 

 not until after the lUuebird has already hatched out her first broody and a 

 week later than the liolnn. 



