FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



307 



henr its swoot chant in hulf-conscious answer to the hooting of the 

 Uwl or even the report of a gun. 



It is never seen far from water, and when it is alarmed it flies 

 downward or along — never upward — into some low thicket, pumping 

 its tail as it flies. 



Its alarm note is a simple metallic chip, which is very dist jictive 

 when once learned. Hut its merry chant — which has won for it the 

 name of "Song Sparrow" — is its best-known note. It is a voluble 

 and uninterrupted but short refrain, and is perhaps the sweetest of 

 the familiar voices of the meadow lands. The song that it occasion- 

 ally utters whilo on the wing is of quite a dilTerent character, being 

 more prolonged and varied. 



Though so abundant, it can not be styled a sociable species. Even 

 during the migrations it is never seen in compact flocks like the Red- 

 poll or Snowflake ; at most it will be found forming a part of a long, 

 scattered migrating train that usually includes a number of dilTerent 

 but nearly related species. P^rxest E. Tuompson. 



683. Melospica lincolnl {Ami.). Lincoln's Spakkow. Ad.^ 

 UpptT parts streaked with blac-k, brownisli t-'ruy, uiid grayish Itrown; tuil- 

 feutliers narrow and rather pointed, the outer ones sliortest; under parts 

 white, rather finely streaked with blaek, « broad crtam-buff band acroxK the 

 breast, a ereani-butt' stripe on either sitle of the throat ; sides tiu<,'ed with 

 cream-butT. L.. 'rVo ; W., 'J-oO : T., 2-40 : B., •41. 



liemarls. — The ereaui - butt' band on the breast is distinctive of this 

 species. 



Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds from nortliern Illinois and north- 

 ern New York northward; winters from southern Illinois to Mexico; rare 

 east of the Allcf^hanies. 



Washington, rare T. V., several records, ^[ay and Oct. Sinsr Sinir. rare 

 T. v., Sept. 29 to Oct. 10. Caud)ridge, uncoiinuou T. V., May 15 to May 25; 

 Sept. 15 to Oct. 5. 



Nest.! generally similar to that of M. /asrlata, on the ground. " /^';/{/», four 

 to five, pale green or bultisli, sometimes almost wiiite, thickly spotted and 

 blotched with reddish brown and lilac, '80 x CO" (Chand)crlain). 



The most striking characteristic about the Lincoln's Sparrow is its 

 shyness, whether migrating in the lavish abundance of the west, stray- 

 ing casually through the States of the Atlantic seaboard, or settled 

 for the summer in a chosen spot of the northern evergreen woods. 

 Scampering like a mouse along some tumble-down stone wall half 

 buried in poison ivy, sumach, and all the tangled growth that goes 

 to make up an old hedgerow, or peering out from a clump of low- 

 spreading bushes, this little bird may sometimes be detected ; but as 

 he hurries northward late in the migration, when all the woods and 

 fields are ringing with bird music, our attention is seldom directed 



