Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 597 



262. Spizella pusilla (Wils.). 

 Field Sparrow. 



Distr.: Whole of eastern United States, from the Dakotas and 

 Kansas to the Atlantic coast, and from the Gulf of Mexico to south- 

 em Canada; breeds from northern Florida, Alabama, Louisiana 

 and Texas northward. 



Adult: Bill, reddish brown; crown, rufous chestnut; a gray- 

 superciliary stripe and post-ocular patch of rufous chestnut; back, 



rufous chestnut, narrowly streaked 

 with black and the feathers edged 

 with ashy; rump, brownish gray, some- 

 times showing a faint olive tinge; under 

 parts, white, without streaks, but 

 washed w'ith pale brown on breast and 

 sides; wing coverts and inner second- 

 aries, brownish black, broadly edged 

 with pale rufous and tipped with white, 

 forming two narrow white bands; tail, 

 grayish brown. 

 Sexes similar. 

 Length, 5.55; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.50; bill, .35. 



The Field Sparrow is a common summer resident in Illinois and 

 Wisconsin, arriving in April (earliest Chicago record, March 22) and 

 leaving for the south in October. It is a pleasing songster, the song 

 consisting of several short notes followed by a musical trill. 



It breeds in May and June. The nest is composed of grass, either 

 on or near the ground. The eggs are from 3 to 5, dull white or green- 

 ish or pale buff, marked with brown, chiefly at the larger end, and 

 measure about .68 x .50 inches. The Field Museum collection con- 

 tains a series of sets of eggs taken in northern Illinois between May 

 9 and June 18. 



Genus JUNCO Wagler. 



The species and subspecies of Juncos or Snowbirds which occur 

 within our limits may be recognized by the following characters: 



J unco hyemalis: General plumage, slate gray; the head darker, 

 sometimes blackish in front and again often tinged with brownish 

 in immature females; belly and outer tail feathers, white; sides (in 

 adult), gray like the chest; bill, pinkish white. Immature birds 

 have the upper part, throat and breast streaked with blackish. 



Wing, 2.95 to 3.20; tail, 2.70 to 2.90; bill, .46 to .52 in. 



