Family Fringillidce Field Sparrow 107 



without sweetness, and sometimes continuing inter- 

 mittently for many minutes. Singing is most com- 

 mon in March, but may be heard at other times, 

 least frequently in the fall. 



54. FIELD SPARROW (Spizella puszlla.) 



Upper parts gray, streaked with bay, black, and a very little flaxen ; 

 crown dull chestnut; under parts gray, tinged more or less with 

 lusty ; wing with two white bars. Bill conical, brown ; feet 

 brown. Bird not much more than two thirds the size of an 

 English sparrow. Sexes similar. 



THIS common, but retiring, little sparrow comes to 

 us in late April, and leaves in late October. North 

 of Massachusetts he is rather rare, but with us he 

 may easily be found by seeking him in dry, bushy 

 fields, wood edges, and open pastures. He is much 

 upon the ground, and when perched is usually not 

 far away from it. During most of the season he is 

 content with the society of his family, but in fall he 

 joins his mate and other small birds in a loose flock. 

 As he associates much at this season with chipping 

 sparrows, it is a particularly good time for learning 

 to distinguish him from this very similar sparrow. 

 On comparing the two, it will be seen that the vari- 

 ous colors of the field sparrow are duller, that the 

 beak is light instead of black, that the chestnut 

 cap is not bordered on each side by a gray, and 



