BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 235 



consists principally of different kinds of small seeds, also small beetles, 

 grasshoppers, spiders, ants and small mollusca. 



Ammodramus savannarum passerinus (WiLS.). 



Grasshopper Sparrow ; Yellow-winged Sparrow. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 32. Fig. S). 



" Bill stout ; legs flesh color ; tail double rounded. Above brownish-rufous, mar- 

 gined narrowly and abruptly with ash color ; reddest on lower part of back and 

 rump ; the feathers all abruptly black in the central portion ; this color visible on 

 the interscapular region, where the rufous is more restricted ; crown blackish, with 

 a central and superciliary stripe of yellowish tinged with brown, brightest in front 

 of the eye ; bend of the wing bright yellow ; lesser coverts tinged with greenish- 

 yellow ; quills and tail feathers edged with whitish ; tertiaries much variegated ; 

 lower parts brownish-yellow ; belly white or nearly so ; feathers of upper breast 

 and sides of body with obsoletely darker centers. 



Young. Very similar to adult ; upper part of breast streaked with dark brown, 

 much more distinct than in the adult, and exhibiting a close resemblance to A. hens- 

 ioivii. Feathers of upper parts with less brownish rufous but more ashy edgings. 

 Length about 5 inches ; extent about 8 inches." B. B. N. A. 



Habitat. Eastern United States and southern Canada to the plains, south to 

 Florida, Cuba, Porto Rico and coast of Central America. 



This bird is somewhat irregularly distributed. In the southern and 

 southeastern portions of our state it is quite common from about May 1 

 to the middle of September. In Crawford and Erie counties, or in the 

 extreme northwestern part of the commonwealth, Mr. George B. Sennett 

 has found it to be a rare summer sojourner. It is reported to be a rather 

 common summer resident in central Pennsylvania. I have found them 

 to be very common in summer at State College, in Centre county. The 

 name Grasshopper Sparrow is given because its note bears a very close 

 resemblance to that of the grasshopper. In Chester and the neighbor- 

 ing counties this bird is a common frequenter of dry sandy meadows, 

 clover and grass fields, about which it may often be seen perched on the 

 top of low weeds or on posts and fence rails. This is one of the spar- 

 rows to be seen in the summer time perched on the fences along the 

 roadsides. I have never observed a bird of this species in a tree, and it 

 rarely is seen to perch on bushes. The nest is built on the ground, and 

 is usually concealed by a tuft of grass or a bunch of weeds. It is com- 

 posed of dry grasses, horse hair and fine roots ; eggs, four or five, white 

 with reddish-brown spots, .72 length by .61 breadth. 



The Yellow-winged Sparrow, during its residence with us, feeds prin- 

 cipally on different kinds of insect life ; the small seeds of various plants, 

 grasses and weeds are also taken. Beetles, grasshoppers, flies, earth- 

 worms, etc., are eaten in large numbers ; the young, when in charge of 

 the parents, are fed chiefly on spiders and larvae. 



