102 PALLID SPARROW. 



COLOR. Adult in summer. Upper portion of body yellowish-white, with the centers of the feathers dark-brown, en- 

 circled by rufous. Top of head, yellowish-rufous, streaked with dark-brown, but a median line of yellowish-white extends 

 from the bill to occiput. Wings and tail, brown, with the outer edges of all the feathers whitish. There is cnly a faint 

 indication of onp wing bar. Pure-white beneath witli the maxillaries, breast, sides, and flanks, streaked with In-own which 

 is edged with rufous. Ring around eye and superciliary line, yellow. Edge of wing, white, tinged with pale-yellow. 



Young. Quite rufous above, where the colors are more suffused. There is also no yellow superciliary line, and the 

 bend of the wing is white. Sexes similar in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is usually a clustering of streakings on the breast forming a central spot, otherwise there is a uniformity of col- 

 or. Known from all other allied species by its pale color and large size. It might be confoundad with roslratus, however, 

 were it not for the large bill of the latter. Found in the winter along the coast of Massachusetts, south to Lung Island. 

 Doubtless breeds on some of the islands off the coast of Arctic America. A Ithough princeps is not a bird of Florida , I have 

 ventured to insert this description with the plate, considering the species of sufficient importance to justify this course. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements. Length, 6'25; stretch, 11 '00; wing, 3'28; tail, 2'50; bill, '46; tarsus, -95. Longest specimen, 

 6-30; greatest extent of wing, 11-20; longest wing, 3'30; tail, 2'60; bill, -52; tarsus, I'OO. Shortest specimen, 6'20; small- 

 est extent of wing, 10'90: shortest wing, 3'10; tail, 2'40; bill, '40; tarsus, '90. 

 



HABITS. 



On December 4, 1808, I was walking over the Ipswich sand hills in search of Lapland 

 Buntings, when a little bird rose wildly from the beach grass in front of me, I took a snap 

 shot and killed the first specimen of Passerculus princeps ever brought to notice. For two 

 years this was the only specimen in existence. I took two more, October 14 and 15, 1871, 

 also on the Ipswich sand hills, then two were taken on Long Island and were sent to me 

 by Mr. H. Herrick for identification. After this several were obtained at Ipswich but it 

 was not until April 4, 1874, that I saw the bird in its full spring plumage. This speci- 

 men (a male) of which I give a plate, I shot on a tree at Ipswich, about a mile from the 

 beach. Mr. Wm. Brewster has since obtained a fine female at Point Lepreaux, N. B. on 

 April 11, 1876. A third which was obtained at Cape Elizabeth, March 15, 1875, is in 

 the collection of Mr. N. C. Brown of Portland. Mr. Jesse Warren found them quite com- 

 mon at Brant Rock in the autumn some two years ago. Mr. C. II. Merriam obtained one 

 at New Haven, November 4, 1875, and Mr. H. B. Bailey records it from Gravesend, L. I. 

 Thus it will be seen that the Pallid Sparrow may be found all along the coast from 

 New Brunswick to Long Island, and probably south of that point. Mr. Brown also saw it 

 at Lake Umbagog, N. H., but I think its occurrence so far inland is quite exceptional, as 

 it is without doubt a maritime species breeding on islands and sandy beaches of the far 

 North. I was disappointed at not finding it on the Magdalen Islands, Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, where I obtained nothing but typical savanna. Thus its nesting habits arc entirely 

 unknown. Neither did I ever hear it utter a note except the chirp of alarm which does 

 not differ from that of the Savannah. In habits princeps also resembles the latter named 

 species somewhat but is quite timid, rising at long gun shot it will dart quickly over the 

 tops of the sand hills and alight in some thick patch of beach grass through which it runs 

 nimbly. I have sometimes seen it on the salt marshes associating with the Savannahs and 

 occasionally in apple orchards a short distance from the ocean, but it chooses those wind- 

 swept, sandy wastes which occupy so much of the sea coast of New England and adjacent 

 sections. I know of but few of the Sparrows that can be more readily distinguished than 

 this species, which is due to its pale tints and large size. 



