FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



293 



The song is insignificant — a weak, musical little trill following a 

 grasshopperliive introduction is of such small volume that it can be 

 heard but a few rods. It usually resembles tstp-Mp-tslp' ae e-e-s'r-r-r. 

 More singing is heard toward sunset, when of a quiet evening the 

 trills are audible at greater distances. Each male seems to have a 

 number of favorite perches, weeds or fence posts, which are visited as 

 incliinition dictates, but he is of too restless a dis{)osition to remain 

 long on any of them. The most familiar note is a sharp fstp of alarm 

 or expostulation heard during migration, but so constantly employed 

 by both sexes in the breeding season, even on slight provocation, that 

 one gets to think of them as veritable scolds. 



Tliey are more likely to be mistaken for the W'sper Sparrow, which 

 they resemble even in flight, than for any other except perhaps the 

 Ipswich and Sharp-tailed Sparrows. J. Dwujut, Jr. 



546. Ammodramus savannarum passerinus ( Wilx.). Giusa- 

 HOPi'EK Si'Auuow ; Vki,L()\v-win<jku Si'AitKow. yl'/.— I'lipur parts mixed 

 t)laek, rutous-hrown, n.nliy, uiid eruam-huli"; crown blackish, u crumii-buti" 

 line Ihroufxli its center ; nape rut'ous-bruwn, 

 eiich featlier with u small black central 

 spot and bordered by ashy ; back black, 

 the feathers bordered by cream-buti' and 

 with a small central tip of riitbiis-brown; 

 rump rutbus-brown antl ashy; an oran;i;e 

 mark before the eye; bend of the wing 

 yellow, lesser wing-coverts yellowish olive- 

 green ; greater coverts tipped with whit- 

 ish ; tail-feathers pointed, of about equal length, dark grayish brown, the 

 centers of the feathers darker, the end lialf of the outer featlier generally 

 dusky wliitish ; under parts generally not streaked ; t)reast and sides butiy ; 

 belly white, i'oung iiifirxtphoiKKji have the breast s[)otted with blackish. 

 L., 5-38 ; W., 2-8S ; T., 1-79 ; B., -43. 



liiiniirl'K. — The yellow on the wing, unstreakcd under jiarts, even, pointed 

 tail, ami grayish mark on the outer tail-feather are the principal cluiraeters of 

 this species. 



h'an'jc. — Eastern North America: breeds from the (Iiilf States northward 

 to .Massachusetts and Mintiesotii; winters from North Carolina to Cuba, 



Washington, very common S. K., Apl. !■") to Oct. '2"). Sing Sing, eomnion 

 S. R., Apl. 'J7 to Oct. '23. ("ambridiTc. rare S. R., May 15 to ( 0. 



i\V.v^, of grasses, sometimes lined with hairs, on the ground. AV/tf*', four to 

 live, white, distinctly sjiotted and speckled with rufous, "73 x -S-t. 



Few common birds may bo more easily overlooked than the Yellow- 

 winged Sparrow. Its terrestrial habits and weak notes place it among 

 the birds that ycm are not likely to find unless you know how and 

 where to look for them. I remember once introducing this bird and 

 its song to a visiting ornithological friend. On returning to his home, 



^^^^==^*^ 



FiQ. 83.— Tail of Grasshopper 

 Sparrow. 



