302 



FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Fm. 86— Chipping Spar- 

 row. (.Natural oize.) 



is little of the Chippy's nature about them. In February or March 

 they begin to sing a song which has been compared to that of a Ca- 

 nary, but is " finer, sweeter, and not so loud." 



660. Spixella SOCialis ( Wih.). Chipping Sparkow; Chippy. Ad. 

 — Forc'iicad bhiek, ii short grayish line in its middle; top of tlie head rufous; 



the nape generally with a few black streaks; a 

 grayish line over the eye and a black line behind 

 it ; buck of the neck grayisli, separating the rufous 

 crown from the back ; back streaked with black, u 

 little rufous, and more pale buffy ochraceous; rump 

 dati/ gray ; wing-bars not conspicuous ; under parts 

 grayish white, wliiter on the throat and belly ; bill 

 entirely hlavk. Im. — Similar, hut no rufous erown- 

 cap or black on the forehead ; top of tlie head 

 streaked like the back ; bill brownisii. Young in 

 first plumage have the breast streaked with black. L., rvS? ; W., 2-74; T., 

 2-2(); B., -3(3. 



Remarks. — In adults the rufous crown, black forehead, gray rump, and 

 black bill are characteristic; in the young the gray rump is a good distin- 

 guishing mark. 



Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to New- 

 foundland and Great Slave Lake; winters in the Gulf States and Mexico. 



Washington, common S. R., abundant T. V., Mch. 15 to Nov. 1, occasion- 

 ally winters. Sing Sing, common S. K., Apl. 9 to Nov. 7. Cambridge, abun- 

 dant S. R., Apl. 15 to Oct. 25. 



Nest, of grasses, line twigs, or rootlets, tiiickly lined with long hairs, in 

 trees or bushes, live to twenty feet \\\i. Jujgs, four to live, blue or greenish 

 blue, with cinnamon-brown or blackish markings, chielly at the larger end, 

 •72 X -51. 



The Chippy is among Sparrows what the Phodie is among Fly- 

 catchers — the hnmblcst, most unassuming mend)or of its family, lioih 

 show trustfulness, which, in spite of their unattractive appearance and 

 far from pleasing voices, wins our affection. 



Chij)py makes his nest in the vines on our piazza, and feeds on the 

 crumbs at our doorstep, quite as though he were a member of the 

 family; and he needs oidy a little encouragement to give evidence of 

 hi:3 entire confidence in our good will by feeding from our hands. 



His song is a monotonous chippy-chippy-chippy-chippti, rather high 

 and wiry and frequently miming into an insectlike trill — by no means 

 a musical performance. 



In the fall Chippy changes his dre.ss. dons a streaked cap for the 

 one of bright bay, and, with others of his kind, goes to the fields to 

 feast on the year's harvest of seeds. He is generally found near trees 

 and hedgerows, into which, when alarmed, he flies with his com- 

 panions. 



