THE SONG SPARROW. 



83 



No. 39- 



SONG SPARROW. 



A. O. U. No. 581. Melospiza cinerea melodia (Wilson). 



Synonym. — SiU'Ek-TgnguE. 



Description. — Adult: Crown dull bay with black streaks, divided by dull 

 gray line ; superciliary stripe of lighter gray ; rufous-brown post-ocular and 

 rictal stripes, enclosing grayish brown auriculars ; remaining upper parts red- 

 dish brown, varied on scapulars, inter-scapulars, and inner quills by blackish 

 centers and grayish edgings ; wing-quills fuscous, broadly edged with rufous ; 

 tail rufous with dusky shafts and often obscure transverse barring of dusky ; 

 below, white or sordid, heavily streaked on sides of throat, breast and sides 

 by black and rufous ; markings wedge-shaped, confluent on sides of throat as 

 maxillary stripes, and often on breast as indistinct blotch, elongated on sides 

 and flanks ; bill horn-color above, lighter below ; feet pale brown. The streak- 

 ing both above and below is sharper and heavier in summer and fall than in 

 spring, due to the wearing away of the white or rufous edgings. Individual 

 variations are quite marked, but always conform to the general pattern. Length 

 about 6.30 (160.) : av. of five Columbus 

 specimens: wing 2.59 (65.8); tail 2.61 

 (66.3) ; bill .47 (11.9). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow- 

 size ; the heavy streaking of breast and 

 back is distinctive. 



Nest, a bulky mass of dead leaves, 

 twigs, grasses, etc., lined with fine grass, 

 rootlets, and sometimes horse-hair ; 

 placed indifferently in bushes or on the 

 ground. Eggs, 4-6, greenish-, grayish-, 

 or bluish-wdiite, heavily spotted and 

 blotched with reddish browms which often 

 conceal the background. Av. size, .80 x 

 .59 (20.3 X 15.). 



General Range. — Eastern United 

 States to the Plains, breeding from Vir- 

 ginia and the southern portion of the 

 Lake States to the Fur Countries. 



Range in Ohio. — Of universal dis- 

 tribution ; abundant during breeding 

 season save in southern portion. Resi- 

 dent in middle and southern, and spar- 

 ingly resident in northern Ohio. 



Photo by J. B. Parker. 

 SIIvVER-TONGUE. 



