64 SAVANNAH FINCH. 



plish-brown. Some eggs have a broadish circle of these spots near the 

 large end, while the extremity itself is without any markings. It gene- 

 rally breeds twice every season in the Middle States, but never more 

 than once to the eastward of Massachusetts. While searching for the 

 nests of this and many other species, I observed that the artifices used by 

 the female to draw intruders away, are seldom if ever practised until af- 

 ter incubation has commenced. 



Although this little Finch cannot be said to have a song, it is yet 

 continually pouring out its notes. You see it perched on a fence rail, the 

 top of a stone, or a tall grass or bush, mimicking as it were the sounds 

 of the Common Cricket. Indeed, when out of sight of the performer, 

 one might readily imagine it was that insect he heard. During winter, 

 it now and then repeats a cheep, which, although more sonorous, is not 

 more musical. In spring, when disturbed and forced from its perch, it 

 flies quite low over the ground in a whirring manner, and re-alights 

 as soon as an opportunity offers. 



Like all the other land-birds that resort to Labrador in summer, it 

 returns from that country early in September. 



Fhingilla Savanna, Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 109. 

 Savannah Finch, Fringilla Savanna, Wils. Amer. Ornith. voL iv. p. 72. PI. 34. 



fig. 4, Male ; and vol. iii. p. 55. PI. 22. fig. .3, Female — Nuttall, Manual, vol. i. 



p. 489. 



Adult Male. Plate CIX. Fig. 1. 



Bill short, conical, acute ; upper mandible straight in its dorsal out- 

 line, rounded on the sides, as is the lower, which has the edges sharp and 

 inflected ; the gap line straight, not extending to beneath the eye. Nos- 

 trils basal, roundish, open, concealed by the feathers. Head rather large. 

 Neck short. Legs of moderate length, slender ; tarsus longer than the 

 middle toe, covered anteriorly with a few longish scutella ; toes scutellate 

 above, free, the lateral ones nearly equal ; claws slender, compressed, 

 acute, slightly arched ; that of the hind toe a little larger. 



Plumage soft and blended. Wings shortish, curved, rounded, the 

 third and fourth quills longest. Tail short, emarginate. 



Bill pale-brown beneath, dusky above. Iris brown. Feet light flesh- 

 colour. Cheeks and space over the eye light citron-yellow. The general 

 colour of the plumage above is pale reddish-brown, spotted with brownish- 

 black, the edges of the feathers being of the former colour. The lower 



