100 PASSERCULUS SAVANNA. 



The nests are placed on the ground, usually in some open spot and frequently by the 

 way-side. The eggs are laid by the first week in June, but a second litter is deposited 

 later. The singularly marked young in their first plumage, accompany their parents in 

 August, but these small communities assemble in flocks by the first of September, then 

 commence their southward migration. Even as late in the season as that the males cannot 

 resist the temptation of singing, and on very fine autumnal days one or two of the sweet 

 notes of their summer performance can occasionally be heard, but the complete song is nev- 

 er given at that time. 



GENUS VH. PASSERCULUS. THE GRASS SPARROWS. 



GEN. CH. Bill, rather pointed. Winys, lonycr than the tail which is slightly forked ', but with the outer feathers short- 

 ened. Tcrtiarics, longer than secondaries. Sternum, narrower than that of Zonolrachia, but with the keel a little hiyhcr, 

 and the coracoids shorter, proportionately. Size, medium. 



There is usualy a yellow superciliary line. All the species are streaked above and below. No prominent white mark- 

 ings on the tail. 



PASSERCULUS SAVANNA. 



Savannah. Sparrow. 

 Parsserculus savanna BON., List, 1838. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, rather slender. Size, medium. Tongue, horny, provided with the terminal, hair-like fibers. Ster- 

 num as given under generic characters. 



COLOR. Adult in summer. Upper portion of body, including wings and tail, dark-brown, with the edges of all the 

 feathers, excepting anterior crown, whitish or pale-rufous. There are indications of whitish wing bars. A median line of 

 yellowish-white extends from bill to occiput, where it is mixed with dark-brown. Superciliary lino and ring around eye, 

 yellow. Lores and car coverts, dusky, with the feathers back of the latter whitish, mixed with dark-brown. Under por- 

 tions, including under wing coverts, white, streaked with dark-brown on all portion?, excepting abdomen and under tail 

 coverts. Edge of wing, white. Bill, brown, lower mandible, lighter. Feet, pale-brown. 



Adult in winter. Differs from the above in being overwashed with yellowish-rufous below and on the sides of the head. 

 The yellow superciliary line is nut as extended. 



Youni/. The yellow over the eye is much restricted. The dark-brown above is lighter and the streakings below are 

 edged with rufous. The ear coverts are also overwashed with rufous. 



Young of the year. Show but little of the yellow line. There is strong overwashing of rufous above and below. The 

 occiput is frequently tinged with yellow. 



Nestlinys. Are more finely streaked below where there is a strong tinge of yellowish. There is no indication what- 

 ever of the yellow superciliary line. Sexes similar in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Specimens vary considerably in shade of color, and also in size. Sometimes the markings above are very pale, and 

 there are comparatively few streaks below, but others will be extremely dark above and more heavily streaked below, 

 when there is often a central spot on the breast. The throat is sometimes white, then the streakings unite and form max- 

 illary lines. 



Distinguished from princeps by the smaller size and darker color; from ros/ratus by the smaller bill. Known from other 

 Sparrows by the yellow superciliary line, combined with the white edge of the wing and streakings below. Distributed, 

 in summer, throughout the Continent, from the latitude of Pennsylvania to the far North. Winters from the latitude of 

 Washington, south to Florida and Mexico. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of forty specimens from Florida and New England. Length, 5'75; stretch, 9'45; wing,2'75; tail, 

 1-90; bill, -45; tarsus, - 82. Longest specimen, G'27; greatest extent of wins;, D'GO; longest wing, 3'00; tail, 2-25; Mil, '49; 

 tarsus, '87. Shortest specimen, 5'25; smallest extent uf wing, 7'95; shortest wing, 2'50; tail, 1*81; bill, '45; tarsus, '70. 



