124 SHARP-TAILED FINCH. 



thus the localities are comparatively lonely and just suited for the home of some retiring 

 species of bird. The Sharp-tailed Finches are aware of this fact for here they find excellent 

 breeding grounds, as they are almost entirely free from invasion. The thick matting of 

 dead grass is admirably adapted to nest building and their neat domiciles are almost al- 

 ways placed in it, while the overhanging grass serves to hide them. I know of but few 

 birds which take so much pains to conceal their eggs as the Sharp-tailed Finches. They 

 will frequently form a path for nearly a yard under the grass, by which they enter the 

 nest that is placed in a thicket at the end. The female when setting is extremely difficult 

 to start, and then I have nearly placed my foot on her before she would fly. As will 

 readily be perceived by the foregoing description, the nests are not easy to discover, and 

 it is only by carefully examining every foot of the ground that I ever found one. They 

 breed in communites in the localites which I have described, and I have taken as many as 

 eight nests from a space not larger than a half acre. 



The Sharp-tailed Finches breed late, from the last week in June to the middle of July, 

 and the young accompany their parents in August. During nesting time the males utter 

 what is certainly the faintest approach to a song that I ever heard any of the family at- 

 tempt. This is given when the bird is hovering in air, a few feet over the surface of the 

 ground, and is so low that I have listened in vain for any sound when the wind was blow- 

 ing, even if the bird was only twenty yards distant. On still days, however, a sputtering 

 husky warble may be distinguished which continues only for a moment when the would be 

 musician drops as suddenly as if shot into the grass. At this season they spend the greater 

 portion of their time in the low grass, only occasionally appearing for a moment on the top 

 of some pile of debris, left by the iigh spring tides; but later they may be found in the 

 tall sedge which grows along the creeks. Here they may be seen early in September in 

 large flocks, when they have quite different habits than when nesting. At all times, how- 

 ever, they run about on the mud in search of small shells or other aquatic animals left by 

 the receding water, but when the tide is high they perch on the top of the grass, enjoy- 

 ing the bright sunshine of those .lovely autumnal days peculiar to the sea-coast of New 

 England. 



All of the Fringilline birds arc more or less agile, but none among them move more 

 quickly on the ground than the members of this genus. The species under consideration 

 is particularly noticeable in this respect as they are perfect acrobats when among the tall 

 sedge, now clinging to a slender swaying top which will scarcely bear their weight, then 

 hanging head downward in order to reach some insect, after. which they will drop to the 

 ground and make their way with surprising rapidity to some other point. When surprised 

 they will rise to a short distance above the grass, fly for a few yards, and then dart into a 

 place of concealment. Then it is difficult to make them rise a second time, for they will 

 run nimbly among the grass stems for a long distance. When wounded they arc very 

 difficult to capture, for if their legs be uninjured they will make good use of them and en- 

 ter some hole and remain quiet, or will run through the grass until certain that a safe dis- 

 tance intervenes between themselves and their pursuers. The Sharp-tailed Finches leave 



