THE CHIPPING SPARROW. 



71 



No. 35- 



CHIPPING SPARROW. 



A. O. U. No. 560. Spizella socialis (W'ils.). 



Synonyms. — Chippy ; Hair-bird. 



Description. — Adults: Forehead black divided b\' short gray hue; crown 

 chestnut flecked with black behind; a gray line over eye, and a black line through 

 it; entire under parts ashy-gray, unmarked; back separated from head by gray 

 of nape, strongly streaked by black, pale rufous, and ochraceous ; wings and tail 

 fuscous, edged with whitish; bill black; feet pale. Immature birds have bill 

 yellow below; the chestnut of crown mixed with black; and a huffy suffusion 

 of breast and sides in varying proportions. Very young birds are streaked be- 

 low. Length 5.00-5.50 (127.-139.7) ; wing 2.75 (69.9] ; tail 2.37 (60.2); bill 

 .36 (9-i)- 



Photo by J. B. Parker. 



WHO GI:TS the WORiI?-A CHIPPING SPARROW FAMII^Y. 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size ; blackish forehead and chestnut crown ; 

 song a monotonous trill. 



Nest, a compact structure of fine twigs, grasses, and (most commonly and 

 often exclusivelv) rootlets, heavily lined with horse-hair; placed anywhere in 

 bushes or small trees, but preferably on horizontal branches of apple-trees or 

 evergreens. Bggs. 4 or 5, greenish blue, speckled freely or narrowly about the 

 larger end with reddish brown or black. Av. size, .71 x .51 (18. x 13.). 



