464 HISTORY OF THE 



approached the sitting bird, she left the nest when I was a few 

 steps away, and fluttered directly into concealment, without at- 

 tempting any artifice or venturing to protest against the spolia- 

 tion of her home." 



Spizella pusilla (WILS.). 



FIELD SPARROW. 

 PLATE XXVIII. 



Summer resident; common in the eastern part of the State, 

 Arrive the last of March to first of May; begin laying about 

 the middle of May; return in October; a few linger until late 

 in November. 



B. 358. R. 214. C. 271. G. 109, 230. U. 563. 



HABITAT. Eastern United States and southern Canada; west 

 to the edge of the Great Plains; south to the Gulf coast; breed- 

 ing nearly throughout its range, but chiefly from the southern 

 Middle States northward. 



SP. CHAR. Wing not longer than tail (usually shorter). Upper parts with 

 more or less of rusty, and top of head and hindneck without dusky streaks. 

 Adult: Top of head with two rusty or sandy brownish lateral stripes and a dull 

 grayish median stripe, the latter often indistinct, sometimes nearly obsolete; 

 back streaked with black, on a uniform rusty, rusty and buffy grayish, or chiefly 

 buffy grayish ground; both rows of wiug coverts tipped with whitish or light 

 buffy; a rusty streak behind eye, enlarged to a spot posteriorly; sides of head 

 otherwise grayish, but tinged with brownish or buffy in winter; sides of breast 

 with a rusty spot; lower parts whitish, tinged with grayish or buffy (or both) 

 anteriorly; bill reddish cinnamon. Young: Essentially like the adult, but colors 

 duller and more suffused; markings of head much less distinct, and lower parts 

 (especially breast) streaked with dusky. Color much more rusty above, with 

 median grayish crown stripe usually very narrow and indistinct (sometimes ob- 

 solete), and wings and tail shorter. (Ridgway.) 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 5.60 8.40 2.70 2.75 .70 .35 



Female... 5.40 8.00 2.50 2.55 .67 .35 



Iris dark brown; bill reddish; legs and feet flesh color; claw& 

 brown. 



This species frequents the edges of woodlands, borders of 

 fields and orchards, sometimes the gardens, but as a rule a rather 

 retiring bird, that seldom makes its home in the near vicinity of 

 dwellings. Their food (which is similar to that of the Sparrow 



