FfilNGIIiLID^ — THE FINCHES. 261 



Poocaetes gramineus (Gmel.) 



VESPEE SPASKOW. 

 Popular synonyms. Bay-winged Bunting; Grass Finoti. 



Fringilla graminea Gmel. S. N. i, 1788. 922.— Aud. Orn. Biog. i, 1831. 473; v.1839. 502. pi. 94.— 

 Ndtt. Man. i. 1832,182.482. 

 Emberiza graminea Wils. Am. Orn. iv, 1811. 51, pi. 31, flg. 5.— Aud. Synop. 1839, 102; B. 



Am. iii, 1841. 65, pi. 153. 

 Pooc(y(es ffconunexs Baied.B. N. Am. 1858.447; Cat. N. Am. B. lS59.No. 337.— CouES, 

 Key, 1872, 136; ClieclJ List, 1873, No. 161 : 2d ed. 1882, No. 232; B. N. W. 1874. 129 (Po(Ece«es). 

 — B. B. & B. Hist. N. Am. B. i. 1874. 545.— Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 197. 

 Has. Eastern United States and British Provinces, nortli to ttie Saslcatchewan,in the 

 interior; breeding chiefly north of 38" and wintering chiefly south of the same latitude, 

 within the United States. (Replaced in the Western Province by P. gramineus conflnis, 

 distinguished by paler colors with narrower strealis. more slender bill, etc.) 



"Sp. Chae. Tailleathers rather acute. Above light yellowish brown; the feathers 

 everywhere streaked abruptly with darlc brown, even on the sides of the neck, which are 

 paler. Beneath yellowish (sometimes reddish) white; on the jugulum and sides of neck 

 and body streaked with brown. A faint light superciliary and maxillary stripe; the 

 latter margined above and below with dark brown; the upper stripe continued around 

 the ear-coverts, which are 'darker than the brown color elsewhere. Wings with the 

 shoulder light chestnut-brown, and with two dull whitish bands along the ends of the 

 coverts; the outer edge of the secondaries also is white. Exposed portion of outer tail- 

 feather and edge and tip of the second, white. Length, about 6.25; wing. 3.10; tail, 2.,50; 

 bill, .33 from frontal feathers to point, by .33 in depth at base; tarsus, .72. Bill yellow, 

 dusky above; legs yellow. (Measurements of No. 10.147. male, Washington, D. C.)" 



This plainly colored bird is found throughout the State, in suit- 

 able locahties, as a summer resident, and an occasional winter 

 resident in the southern portion. Except in the more northern 

 counties, however, it is abundant only during the migrations, the 

 majority of them passing to the northward to breed. It inhabits 

 during summer open grassy places, especially meadows, and but 

 for its exceedingly sweet song would scarcely be noticed, so unob- 

 trusive is it in its habits and appearance. The song of this species 

 is thus described by Mr. John Burroughs, in his charming book 

 called "Wake Kobin" : 



"Have you heard the song of the Field-Sparrow?" he asks. "If 

 you have hved in a pastoral country, with broad upland pastures, 

 you could hardly have missed him. Wilson, I beheve, calls him 

 the Grass-Finch, and was evidently unacquainted with his powers 

 of song. The two white lateral quills of his tail, and his habit of 

 running and skulking a few yards in advance of you as you walk 

 through the fields, are sufficient to identify him. Not in meadows 

 or orchards, but in high, breezy pasture-grounds, will you look for 



