500 NOKTIl AMKlilCAN lilUDS. 



Ammodromus maritimus, swainsox. 



SEASIDE BUNTING. 



Frhiijilld iiiiiiiliiiKi, Wii.SdN, Am. t)rii. IV, 1811, t!8, |)1. xxxiv, f. 2. - Al'i). Orii. 

 Hiofj. I, 1831, |il. xciii. ^imiiiiHlrdiiiiis mariliiniii, S\v. Zuiil. Jour. IJI, 1.^27, ;i2S. 

 — BiiNAi'. List, IMJS. - In. Coiis|). ISfid, l^-J. - Am. Syiuijisis, 183"), llo. -In. 

 Birds Am. Ill, 18(1, 103, pi. clxxii. - I!aii;ii, Binls X. Am. 18r>S, 454. — Samikl-s, 

 308. Frhiiiilla (Ammuilromus\ marilivin, XriT. Aliiii. I, (2il cd.,) 1840, 5y2. Friu- 

 ijilh iiiiiqiillirmiii, Am. Oni. Hiof;. II, 1834, 285 ; IV, 1838, 3!»4 ; V, 183i), 499, \\. 

 ccclv. .liiiiiiiKlromui niiKyillivmiii, I'niN. Mut, 1838. — 111. C'oiis|icctu.s, 18,')0, 482. — 

 Ari>. Syn. 1839. — III. Minis Am. Ill, 1841, 100, |il. clxxiii. FriiniUh< (Ammoilm- 

 inus) mnniillivriii/i, Nl n'Al.l., Man. I, (2il cd.,) 1840, WA. 



Sp. Ciiah. AliDVo oliviioeoiis a.'^liy-bi'own ; iii'iiily unifonn. Iml willi tlu? centres of in- 

 tcr.sciipiilnr li'iilluMS darker and edf:;ed Ikintly witli paler; very obsoletely, almost inap- 

 preeiably streaked elsewhere, especially on the head, which has a faintly defniod median 

 stripe of pnrer a.shy. Beneath white ; the breast and sides and under tail-coverts witii 

 rather indistinct streaks of dark a,shy-t)rown. tendinfr to form a larj^e s|)ot in centre of 

 breast; an ashy mandibular .stripe eonliiuied into the a.shy sides of neck, and outtini; oil' 

 and enclosing a white stripe above it. A spot of yellow anterior to eye, contimicil over 

 it as an almost inappreciable grayish stripi\ Edge of wing snlpliur-yellow. Bill lead- 

 color ; leel dusky. Length about (i inches ; wing, '2.50. In autunui the brea.st and sides 

 tinged with fulvous; the liaek with rufou.s. 



Young birds (.1. mirn/illivnii/if) have markings unich more distinct, and clo.sely resem- 

 ble A. aii((l(iriil(i, tiiough larger. They will be most rciidiiy distiugni.shed by the absence 

 of the fulvous superciliary stripe. 



IIah. Atlantic sea-coast of United States, uorthwiuil to Long Tslaml Sound. 



The siiiiie sea-soiial ilin'ereiices in colorati(jii are observable in this species 

 as in A. vandiiciUKn. 



Haiuts. Tlie Seaside Finch has very nearly the same distribution, hab- 

 its, and manners of life, as the Sharii-tailed species, and the description of 

 these in one wonld ans\V(!r almost e(|ually well for the other. There are, 

 however, certain shades of dilference in several respects to be observed. 



This bird is, if anything;, more southern in its distribution tlian the other, 

 and does not extend its visits in summer so far north. While the Sharj)- 

 taihid Fincli is not an uncommon bird on tiie siiores of the New I'^ngland 

 States, as far to the north as Tp.swich, the Seaside Finch is comparatively 

 rare, much more so now than it was formerly. Mr. Maynard states tiiat he 

 lias searched carefully for it froi" the Merrimack to the extreme southern 

 shores of Massiichusetts without finding any specimens, nor could lie find 

 any on the island of Nantucket, a very naturiil and cono;enial locality. Dr. 

 Cones states that it is abundant on the New nam])shire coast, but recent 

 eiuleavors hav(! failed to detect it. In IH.'ill and 18:^7 a few isolated pairs 

 built in the marshes of Stony l$rook, near Jioston, above tide-water, iiestino; 

 not on the o;round, but in low bushes. Tiiey were identified by Mr. Audubon. 



In the summer of 1852 I found this species very abundant on the low 

 sandy islands of Cape Charles, Va. TIhmv, in every instance, their neste 



