THE FIELD SPARROW AND THE CHIPPER 33 



the beginner to notice. Another is a wash of 

 buff, or yellowish brown, on the sides of the 

 breast. The upper parts, too, are in general 

 much lighter than the chipper's. 



You will not be likely often to find this bird 

 in your garden or about the lawn. He is called 

 the field sparrow, but he lives mostly in dry old 

 pastures, partly overgrown with bushes and trees. 

 His nest is placed on the ground, or in a low 

 bush, and is often lined wholly or in part with 

 hair. He and the chipper belong to what is 

 called the same genus. That is to say, the two 

 are so nearly related that they have the same 

 surname. The chipper is Spizella socialis, the 

 field sparrow is Spizella pusilla ; just as two 

 brothers will have one name in common, say, 

 Jones, William, and Jones, Andrew. 



The chipper is a favorite on account of his 

 familiar, friendly ways. The field sparrow de- 

 serves to be known and loved for his music. 

 Few birds sing better, in my opinion, though 

 many make more display and are more talked 

 about. The beauty of the song is in its sweet- 

 ness, simplicity, and perfect taste. It begins 

 with three or four longer notes, which run at 

 once into quicker and shorter ones, either on the 

 same pitch or a little higher. Eeally the strain 

 is almost too simple to make a description of : a 



