Birds of Allegany Park 273 



cause they mistake its singing for that of a Song Sparrow. The 

 Vesper Sparrow begins with two or three pairs of long, sweet 

 notes, each pair higher in pitch than the last, then terminates the 

 song with a series of quick notes and trills that usually descend in 

 pitch. While one can make no fixed rule as to how a Song Spar- 

 row will begin its song, it is practically never with two pairs of 

 long notes. The introductory notes, whether two, three or more, 

 are short and quick, with pauses between them. Once this differ- 

 ence is learned it will always serve to separate the songs of these 

 two birds in the field. 



The nest of the Vesper Sparrow is placed on the ground in 

 grassy places. No nests were found in the Park, but several young 

 out of the nest were seen. 



Savannah Sparrow. Passer cuius sandwichensis savanna (Wils.) 



The Savannah Sparrow is a little smaller than the English Spar- 

 row. It may be known by a narrow light line through the center 

 of the crown, and over each eye a broader one, which is bright 

 yellow in front of the eye. The breast is streaked and a few birds 

 show a dark spot in its center like that of the Song Sparrow. Male 

 and female are alike, and the young are marked in the same way. 



This little bird is common in the meadows of the Park. It lives in 

 the tall grass, and rarely perches higher than the top of a fence 

 post or, more frequently, a tall weed. 



It delivers its song from such perches. The song is weak and 

 insect-like in quality, a fact which will distinguish it from all spar- 

 rows save the Grasshopper Sparrow. While there is some varia- 

 tion, the syllables " zip, zip, zip zee-e-e zee-e-e " will fit the major- 

 ity of songs. The two " zees " are on different pitches, but which 

 one is higher is a matter of individual variation. The Grasshopper 

 Sparrow, which is a much rarer bird than this one in the Park, 

 usually sings but a single '! zip " and one long " zee-e-e-e." Its voice 

 is less musical and even more insect-like than that of the Savannah 

 Sparrow. 



The Savannah Sparrow's nest is placed on the ground amid the 

 grasses of a field, and is difficult to find, unless by accident, when 

 one almost steps on it. In such cases the sitting bird slips out from 

 under one's feet, and runs off through the grass with motions more 

 like a mouse than a bird. 



Meadowlark. Sturnclla magna magna (Linn.) 



The Meadowlark is about the length of the Robin, with a rather 

 short tail. Its upper parts are brown, striped with black and light 

 buff. The outer tail feathers are marked broadly with white patches 

 which are conspicuous in flight. The throat and breast are yellow 

 and crossed by a broad V-shaped black mark. 



The Meadowlark is abundant in all meadow areas of the Park 

 and may be easily seen and heard. It is a bird of the ground 

 largely, walking and threading its way through the grass, and gath- 

 ering most of its food there. It may be commonly seen feeding 



