THE HENSLOW SPARROW. 6i 



DR. WHEATON admits this Sparrow to a place on the Ohio List upon 

 the sole ground of a statement by Audubon, that it was accidental in Ohio. 

 This statement, so far as I am aware, has received positive confirmation only 

 once, but the bird is known to breed regularly in northern Indiana, and eggs 

 have been taken in southern Michigan. 



On the evening of June 4th, 1894, near Oberlin, while returning in a 

 buggy with my friend,Lynds Jones, from a collecting trip along the Lake Erie 

 shore, we heard a strange bird-note in a neighboring wheat-field. It was the 

 same season in which the Grasshopper Sparrow first made its appearance at 

 Oberlin and we were prepared for novelties. Mr. Jones, who was familiar 

 with this species in Iowa, had previously described the note to me so perfectly 

 that we both exclaimed "Henslow's!" and sprang from the buggy. The ven- 

 triloquial voice with its lisping notes, "itse-tse-tsip" led us a merry chase in the 

 gathering dusk, and our devious wanderings through the growing grain 

 brought out a vigorous protest from the owner of the field. But we muttered 

 something about "state record" just as Jones pressed the trigger, and the 

 farmer nobly forgave us in the name of Science. Fumbling in the dark for the 

 little body which, unfortunately, meant more to us dead than alive — Science 

 is so skeptical — we hurried home with the treasure. Mr. Jones saw other 

 birds in the vicinity of Oberlin later that season, and they undoubtedly bred 

 there, but no other occurrences have been reported in the state. 



The Henslow Sparrow is a shy recluse of old fields and lowland meadows. 

 It is a persistent 'songster', but shuns doubtful applause and scurries through 

 the grass like a wood mouse, when alarmed. When it thinks it is being pur- 

 sued it is apt to thrust its head under leaves or grass and pause motionless in 

 fancied security, leaving the unhidden portion to shift for itself. 



