20 N'oKTII A.MKKIUAN BUtDS. 



a wliilisli iniixillary stripe, bordoivil aliovc iiiiil l)olow by one of dark nifoiis-hrowii, ami 

 willi itiiotlicr from ln'liiiid llic oyc Tlu,' imdci' parts arc wliite ; tiif Jiij,'iilimi and sidt's 

 of Imdy stroakcd willi clear darlv-lirowii, s<iMietimi's witli a riifoiis siilfiision. On the 

 middle of the l)r('as| dicsc marks arc rather ayf^rc^atod so as lo Ibrm a s|)ot. Xo distiiii't 

 while on tail or winirs. licnL'lii of inak', (i.'iD; win};-, 2."))S ; tail, li.OII. liill |)alc brown 

 above; yellowish at, liasc beneath. Legs yellowish. 



IIau. Eastern United Stales to the liij.'h Central Plains. 



Sjji^ciiuun.s vary .soiiicwliiit in liaviiio; tlio strwiks acro.s.s tlio l)roa.st more or 

 less Hi)arse, the spot more or le.ss distinct. In aiitiiniu the colors are more 

 blended, the light maxillary stripe tinned with yellowish, the edges of the 

 dusky streaks strongly snfViised witii hrownish-rtil'oiis. 



The yonng bird litis the npper parts ptiler, the streaks more distinct ; the 

 lines on tlie head scarcely apiiveciiible. The under parts are yellowish ; the 

 streaks ntirrower and more shivrply ilefined iltirk lirown. 



As iilready stated, this species varies more or less i'rom the above descrip- 

 tion in (lid'erent parts (jf North America, its typical races having received 

 s])ecific names, M'hich it is necessary to retain for them as varieties. 



Habits. Tlie common Song Sparrow of eastern Nortli America has an 

 extended ninge of distribution, and is resident througiiout the year in a large 

 part of the tirea in which it breeds. It nests from iibout South Carolina 

 north to the British I'rovinces of Nova Scotia and New J5riinswick at the 

 east, and to a not well-detined limit in Uritish Americti. The most northern 

 points to M'hich it has l)cen traceil are the plains of the Saskatchewan and 

 •the soiitliern sliore of Lake Winnepeg, in which latter pliice Mr. Kennicott 

 found it breeding. It is said by Dr. Cones to breed in South Carolina, and 

 by j\[r. Audubon in Louisiana, but I have never seen any of their eggs from 

 any ])oint south of Washington. In winter it is found from IMassachusetts, 

 wiiere only a few are ol)served, to Florida. It is most abundant tit this 

 period in North and South Carolina. It is not mentioned in Dr. Ger- 

 hardt's list as being found in Nortiiern (Jeorgia at any season of the year. 

 Mr. lUdgway informs me that it dttes not breed in Soutiiern Illinois. Its 

 song is not po]nilarly known tjiere, tlioiigii he has occasionally heard it just 

 before tiie.se Sparrows were leaving for the north. This species winters there 

 in company witii tlie Z. alhiroUia and Z. /ciirojiliri/s, associating with the for- 

 mer, and inhiibiting brusii-lieajis in the clearing.s. 



To Massacliusetts, where sja'cinu'iis iitive been taken in every month of the 

 year, and where tliey have i)een heard to sing in January, they icI urn in 

 large numbers usually early in March, sometimes even in February. It is 

 probable that these are but migiants, jia.ssing farther north, and that our 

 summer vi,sitiints do not ap]>ear among us until the middle of Ajiril, or just 

 as they are about to breed. Tiiey reach Maine from the loth to the ^oth, 

 and breed there the middle of May. In ^Massachusetts they do not have 

 eggs until the first week in May, exce|it in very remarkalile season.s, usually 

 not until idler tlie I'duebird has already hatciied out her lirst broody and a 

 week later than the IJoliin. 



