ONTARIO. 



his nesting place among the grass close by. In the fall they 

 get to be abundant before leaving ; but from their habit of skulk- 

 ing among the rank weeds they are not so conspicuous as the 

 Blackbirds and other species which keep in flocks on the wing. 

 They move to the south in October, none having been ob- 

 served during the winter. 



GENUS AMMODRAMUS SWAINSON. 



SUBGENUS PASSERCULUS BONAPARTE. 



AMMODRAMUS SANDWICHENSIS SAVANNA (WiLS.). 



213. Savanna Sparrow. 542 a. 



Above, brownish-gray, streaked with blackish, whitish-gray and pale 

 bay, the streaks largest on the inter-scapulars, smallest on the cervex, the 

 crown divided by an obscure whitish line ; superciliary line and edge of wing, 

 yellowish ; sometimes an obscure yellowish suffusion about the head. Below, 

 white, pure or with faint buffy shade, thickly streaked with dusky, the 

 individual spots edged with brown, mostly arrow-shaped, running in chains 

 along the sides, and often aggregated in an obscure blotch on the breast. 

 Wings and tail dusky, the wing-coverts and inner secondaries black edged 

 and tipped with bay. Length, 5^-5! ; wing, 2^-2 ; tall, 2-2|. 



HAB. Eastern Province of North America, breeding from the Northern 

 United States to Labrador and Hudson's Bay Territory. 



Nest, composed of fine withered grass placed in a deep cup-shaped hole 

 in the ground. 



Eggs, 4 to 6 ; ground-color grayish, heavily clouded with chocolate- 

 brown. 



This quiet, unobtrusive, little Sparrow may be seen and 

 heard in the moist meadows in spring and summer, but it is 

 not very plentiful anywhere. 



Towards the end of August they become abundant along the 

 marshy shores of Hamilton Bay, where they evidently find food 

 to suit their taste, and they continue to enjoy it till reminded by 

 the cool nights in September that it is time to be off to the south. 

 The specimens secured at this season are evidently northern bred 

 birds, being more fully developed in size and markings than 

 those which breed with us. Often when picking them up I 



215 



