BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 333 
central line, these marks rather aggregated on the middle 
of the breast so as to form a spot; no distinct white on tail or 
wings. 
Length, 6.50; wing, 2.60; tail, 3. 
Habitat, eastern United States to Plains. 
MELOSPIZA LINCOLNI (AvubDUBON). (583.) 
LINCOLN’S SPARROW. 
Of the habits of this species, quite common in both migra- 
tions, I know very little, except that I cannot separate it 
from the Swamp Sparrows until I have it in my hand. 
Mr. R.S. Williams of Minneapolis, was the first to bring 
this locally new species ‘‘to bag” in the State so far as I am 
aware. This he did on the 9th of May 1876. Mr. Robert 
McMullen obtained another on the 12th of the same month. 
Since then few collectors have failed to appropriate one or 
more of their skins, in the interest of science, or the fun of 
shooting. _From reports sent me annually from ‘‘beyond the 
Big Woods,” the great deciduous belt of timber traversing a 
good portion of the State from north-east to south-west, I am 
assured of its abundance in the period of both migrations in 
which it shares the general characteristics of the Swamp Spar- 
rows. 
I have been less favored with observations of this species in 
the southern sections, but have no doubt that it is equally 
represented. Dr. Coues says its range embraces the whole 
continent. Somewhat unequally distributed: itis rare in the 
east; but abundant in Colorado; common in Iowa; numerous in 
Ilinois; but only in migration except in the mountains near 
Idaho spring where ‘‘it breeds about 9,500 or 10,000 feet up to 
timber line.” In Birds of the North-west he again quotes from 
Mr. Allen who states it is ‘‘an abundant summer resident of the 
mountains of Colorado, from about 8,000 feet to above the 
limits of trees. It is found chiefly in the vicinity of wooded 
streams, and in moist or swampy thickets, being essentially 
a woodland bird. Its song is rather feeble, but pleasant and 
varied, and generally uttered for a considerable period from 
some elevated point of the thicket. It is one of the few 
species that are as abundant at the timber-line as at the lower 
points. I also met with it sparingly in May in eastern Kansas, 
and found it abundant in the vicinity of Ogden, Utah, in Sep- 
tember.”’ 
