SWAMP SPARROW. 329 



Melospiza LINCOLN! (Aud.) Bd. 



Lincoln's ITinch.. 



Melospiza Uncolni, Whkaton, Ohio Agrio Rep. for I06O, 379 (probable) ; Foocl of Birds, etc., 

 Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1874, .566; Reprint, 1875, 6. — Lakgdon, Cat. Birds of Gin., 1877, 

 8; Jour. Ciii. Soo. Nat. Hist , i, 1878, 114 ; Reprint, 5 ; Revised List, Jour. Cin. Soc. 

 Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 188; Reprint, 22. 



Fringilla lincolnil, Auddbon, Orn. Biog., ii 1834, 539. 

 Melospiza lincolnii, Baird, Birds N. Am., 1858, 48:3. 



Below, white, breast banded and sides often shaded with yellowish ; everywhere except 

 on the belly, thickly and sharply streaked with du^ky ; above, grayish-brown, crown 

 and back with blackish, brownish, aud paler streaks; tail grayish brown, the feathers 

 usually showing blackish shaft lines; wings the same, the coverts and inner quills 

 blackish, with bay and whitish edgings ; no yellow on wings or head. Length, 5-J ; wing 

 and tail about '2^ 



Habitat, the whole of North America. Mexico. Guatemala. 



Not uncommon spring and fall migrant in May and October. Fre- 

 quents woodland undergrowth, brush-piles, and banks of streams in 

 spring, weedy woodlands and high weeds and grass in swampy places 

 in the fall. In the vicinity of Columbus it makes its way silently north- 

 ward in spring, not associating with other sparrows, and seldom in the 

 company of its own kind. It is rather shy and retiring, hiding in 

 brush-heaps. Its flight is quick and straight, but low. In the fall it 

 frequently associates with Swamp Sparrows, which it somewhat resem- 

 bles in appearance and habits. I found them quite abundant at the 

 Licking Reservoir, October 17, 1874, in the tall grass of the low borders 

 of the Reservoir, in company with Swamp, White-throated, and White- 

 crowned Sparrows. Mr. C. J. Orton has taken it at Sandusky, and Mr. 

 W. H. Gaylord at Cleveland. I have seen one individual in my garden 

 in May. With us it is the most silent of all the Sparrows. I do not 

 remember to have ever heard it chirp. At its breeding places it is said 

 to have a sweet song. 



Lincoln's Finch is most abundant west of the Mississippi River, and 

 though found in several of the Eastern States, is rare. It breeds from 

 Wisconsin and Northern New York northward. The nest, which is 

 placed upon the ground, is built of grass; the eggs are greenish-white, 

 more or lees thickly spotted and blotched with different shades of reddish- 

 brown. They measure .74 by .56. 



Melospiza palusteis (Wils.) Bd. 



Swarap Sparro^w. 



Fringilla palmtria, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 164.— Read, Proo. Phila. Acad. 

 Nat, Sci., vi, 1853, 395. 



