238 FRINGILLID^E ! FINCHES. 



specific validity of -princeps, until specimens occur 

 which cannot be distinguished from savana,[*~\ for 

 thus far no such doubtful examples have been forth- 

 coming. 



SAVANNA SPARROW. 

 PASSERCULUS SAVANA ( Wils.) Bp. 



Chars. Thickly streaked everywhere above, on sides below, and 

 across breast ; line over eye, and the edge of the wing, yellow- 

 ish ; no chestnut on bend of wing ; bill rather slight and acute ; 

 tail nearly even, without white lateral feathers ; inner secondaries 

 long and flowing, the longest of them nearly reaching to the end 

 of the wing when closed. The upper parts are brownish-gray, 

 variegated with blackish, grayish -white, and pale bay, the streaks 

 largest on the interscapulars, smallest on the hind-neck. An 

 obscure median pale line divides the crown, and there is often 

 much yellowish suffusion about the head, besides the line over 

 the eye. Under parts white, either pure or, in autumnal and 

 juvenile specimens, tinged with buffy, the breast and sides thick- 

 ly streaked with dusky these markings being brown, dark-cen- 

 tred, mostly arrow-headed, linked in chains along the sides, some- 

 times aggregated in an obscure blotch on the breast. Wings 

 plain dusky, the coverts and inner secondaries edged with black 

 and tipped with bright bay ; tail-feathers rather narrow and point- 

 ed, not conspicuously colored in any way. Bill dark above, pale 

 below; feet delicate flesh-color. Length, 5.25-5.75 ; extent, about 

 8.50 ; wing, 2.50-2.75 ; tail, 2.00-2.25 ; tarsus, middle toe. and 

 claw, together, 1.50; bill, under 0.50. 



The Savanna is one of the most numerous of the 

 New England Sparrows ; it is found nearly all the 

 year, being only absent during the three winter months, 

 and perhaps in March. It abounds along the coast, 



* [In some respects this bird is related to P. restrains of the Pa- 

 cific coast, and seems to take in New England much the same part 

 that the latter does in California. C.] 



