34 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Melospiza palustris, Baird. 



SWAMP SPARBOW. 



Fringi/la palitstrui, Wilson, Am. Orii. Ill, 1811, 49, pi. xxii, f. 1. — Arn. Om. Biog. I, 

 1831, 331 ; V, 508, pi. l.xiv. Fringilla (Spka) pnlitstri.i, Ho.nap. Ob.s. Wilson, 182;'i, 

 No. 10;'). Piissnrii/iin iialtMtris, Udnap. lii.st, 1838. — In. t'onspectus, 1850, 4S1. 

 Aiiimmlromus juilu.itris, Ari>. Syii. 183!t. — In. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 110, \A. clxxv. 

 Mi'liKjuzii palustriii, Haii'.i), BinLs N. Am. 1858, 483. — Sami'KI.s, 323. ! Fi-imjil/a 

 gcorijiami, Lath. Index Orn. I, 1790, 400 (iieilmps Pcucom astivnlin). — Liciir. Verz. 

 1823, No. 251. Fringilla (Aiiimoilromun) tjconjiana, Nurr. Miin. I, (2d(!d.,) 1840, 588. 



Sp. Char. Jfiddle of the crown uniform chestnut; forehead black; .superciliary streak, 

 sides of head and back, and sides of neck, ash. A brown stripe behind the eye. Back 

 with broad streaks of black, which are edged with rusty yellow. Beneath whitish, 

 tinged with ashy anteriorly, especially across the breast, and washed with yellowish- 

 brown on the sides. A few obsolete streaks across the breast, which become distinct on 

 its sides. Wings and tail slnnigly tinged with rufous; the tertials black, the rufous 

 edgings changing abruptly to white towards the end. Lengtli, r).7"); wing, 2.40. 



Female with the crown scarcely reddish streaked with black, and divided by a light 

 line. Young cons])icuously streaked beneath the head, above nearly uniform blackish. 



IIab. Eastern North America from the Atlantic to the ^[issouri ; north to Fort Simp- 

 •son. 



Ill autuiiiii tlie male of tlii.s species lia,s the feathers of tlie crown each 

 with a black streak ; and the centre of the crown with an in listinct light 

 .stripe, materially chanoing its appearance. 



The forehead is usually more or less streaked with black. 



In the inicertainty whether the Friiif/il/d (jcimjiniia of Latham be not 

 rather the Fvucav a'fffiva/ia than the Swamp S])arro\v, I think it best to 

 retain Wilson's name. It certainly applies as well to the latter, which has 

 the black sub-maxillary streak, and the chin and throat more mouse-colored 

 than in 2^ii/us(ris. 



Hahits. Owing to the residence of this species in localities not favoring 

 fre(|ucnt visits or careful explorations, and still more to its shy and retiring 

 habits, otu- writers have not been generally well iiiformed as to the history 

 p..d general niiinners of this peculiar and interesting Sparrow. Its irregular 

 distribution, its abuiu^ance only in certain and unusually restricted locali- 

 ties, its entire absence from all the Piu'rounding neighliorhoot!, and its secre- 

 tiveness wherever found, have all combined to throw doubt awd obscimty 

 over its movements. Unless ])ur])ftsely looked for and perseveringly hunted 

 i.p, the Swamp Sparrow might exist in large numbers in one's immediate 

 neighliorhood and yet entirely escape notice. Even now its whole story 

 is but imperfectly known, and more careful investigation into its distribution 

 and gijiieral habits will doubtless cleiu' up several obscure points in regard 

 to its movements. 



From what is now known, we gather that it occurs throughout the eastern 

 portions of Xorth America, from the Southern States, in which it passes the 



