236 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



Ammodr amus henslo wii ( A UD . ) . 



Henslow's Sparrow. 



DESCRIPTION. 



A little smaller but very similar to the Grasshopper Sparrow ; tail a little longer ; 

 top of head heavily streaked with black, divided by pale greenish-gray stripe ; occi- 

 put and back of neck greenish-gray with black streaks ; a blackish streak back of 

 eye, and another one back of lower mandible, throat and belly whitish, conspicuously 

 streaked with black ; the breast, sides and flanks are light yellowish-brown ; upper 

 surface of wings mostly chestnut ; back and scapular feathers chestnut with con- 

 spicuous black centers, edged with whitish, except towards the rump, where the 

 edgings are mainly olivaceous or buff. 



Habitat. Eastern United States, west to the plains, north to southern New Eng- 

 land and Ontario. 



Henslow's Sparrow, according- to my observation, occurs in Pennsyl- 

 vania as a rare spring- and fall migrant. It frequents fields and mea- 

 dows, and it easily escapes notice by hiding- in the weeds and grasses. 

 Nests of this species have been taken in our state by Dr. Detwiller, of 

 Bethlehem, and Mr. Roddy, of Millersville. Dr. Coues says it is " com- 

 mon about Washington (D. C.), where it breeds in fields and meadows ; 

 nest on the ground in tufts of grass. Eg-gs, four to five, greeiiish- 

 white, profusely speckled with reddish, .75 by .57." This sparrow ar- 

 rives here about the first of May and departs in September. Food about 

 same as that of the Grasshopper Sparrow. 



GENUS ZONOTRICHIA SWAINSON. 

 Zonotrichia leucophrys (FORST.). 



White-crowned Sparrow. 



DESCRIPTION {Plate 95). 



Length about 7 inches ; extent about 10| ; no yellow 011 head or wing, as in the 

 next species. Adult may be known by conspicuous black and white head stripes, 

 and the light grayish or ashy markings well shown in plate. " Young, first winter, 

 head-stripes chestnut-brown and dull buff ; otherwise similar to adult. Young, 

 lirst plumage, crown dusky-blackish on sides, the middle whitish, streaked witli 

 dusky ; throat and breast more or less streaked with dusky." Ornith. of 111. Ridgw. 



Habitat. North America at large, breeding chiefly in tfte Rocky mountain region 

 (including Sierra Nevada) and northeast to Labrador. 



Regular, but not common spring and fall migrant, and occasionally a 

 few are found during mild winters in the southern parts of the state. 

 This species frequents the same localities as the White-throated Spar 

 row, but it is less frequently seen in woods and orchards than the last- 

 mentioned bird, being mostly found about brush heaps, along hedge 

 rows and bushy places in fields and near the borders of woods, etc. Its 

 food consists chiefly of small seeds of different grasses, weeds, etc., and 

 it also feeds to some extent on buds and blossoms of different trees, 

 bushes, etc. 



