276 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



While conceding that this species is "a very varied and fine 

 singer," Dr. Brewer {Hist. N. Am. B. Vol. II., p. 6) says "its notes are 

 not very powerful, and cannot be heard any distance." This has 

 not been the writer's experience, however, his observations leading 

 him to quite the contrary opinion. In Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, 

 and Virginia, where he has listened to its song on countless occa- 

 sions, he has always regarded the song of the Field Sparrow as 

 being particularly characterized by its power, being certainly far 

 louder and capable of being heard at a much greater distance, than 

 that of the Song Sparrow {Melospiza fasciata) or Vesper Sparrow 

 (Poocates gramineus) or any others of the smaller species of this 

 family. The Field Sparrow's song is further characterized by 

 its plaintiveness, and were it not for this quality would rank 

 among the very finest bird songs which can be heard in our fields. 

 Sometimes a particularly gifted male will repeat twice or thi-ee 

 times the usual song, without faltering between, and then the per- 

 fonnance becomes truly fine. 



Gexus JTJNCO Wagler. 



Jvnco Waglek, Isis, 1831, 526. Type, Fringilla cinerea Sw. 



Gen. Chae. Bill small, conical; culmen curved at the tip; the lower jaw quite as high 

 as the upper. Tarsus longer than the middle toe; outer toe longer than the inner, barely 

 reaching as far as the middle of the latter; extended toes reaching about to the middle of 

 the tail. Wings rather short; reaching over the basal fourth of the exposed surface of 

 the tail; primaries. however, considerably longer than the secondaries and tertials, which 

 are nearly equal. The second quill longest, the third to fifth successively but little 

 shorter; first longer than sixth, much exceeding secondaries. Tail moderate, a little 

 shorter than the wings; slightly emarginate and rounded. Feathers rather narrow; oval 

 at the end. No streaks on the head or body; color above uniform on the head, back, or 

 rump, separately or on all together. Belly white; outer tail-feathers white. Young birds 

 streaked above and below. 



"The essential characters of this genus are the middle toe rather 

 shorter than the short tarsus ; the lateral toes slightly unequal, the 

 outer reaching the base of the middle claw ; the tail a little shorter 

 than the wings, slightly emarginate. In Junco cmereus the claws 

 are longer; the low'er mandible a httle lower than the upper." 

 (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



The genus is numerously represented in the western portions of 

 the continent, where no less than nine species occur (one of them, 

 J. hy emails, as a straggler, and two — J. insidaris, of Guadalupe I., 

 and J. hairdi, of Lower Cahfomia — not coming within the United 



