320 BIRDS 



and portions of the Canadian provinces, another species 

 called the Oregon vesper sparrow occurs. 



Like the junco, the vesper sparrow may be recognized 

 by the white outer tail feathers. It spends most of the time 

 on the ground, rising to fence posts and low trees to sing 

 the evening carol. I have often thought that the song of 

 the vesper sparrow is sweeter than that of any other spar- 

 row. It may be heard, long after sunset, coming across 

 the fields when the little screech owl and the whip-poor-will 

 are calling. Pastures, orchards, grain fields, and the right- 

 of-way along railroads are frequented by the grass finch. 

 It feeds almost exclusively on weed seeds, and is, conse- 

 quently, beneficial to agriculture. 



The nest of grass, stems, and rootlets, lined with grass 

 and hair, is placed on the ground. A little hollow is scraped 

 at the base of a thistle, mullein, other weed stalk, or hill of 

 corn. The female sits close and offers little protest when 

 disturbed. The four bluish-white eggs are blotched and 

 spotted with reddish-brown. Two broods are reared in a 

 season. 



THE SAVANNA SPARROW* 



"The Savanna Sparrow is one of those inconspicuous 

 little birds which hide in the grass or run stealthily along 

 the fences or furrows, having nothing special in their 

 appearance or habits to attract particular attention." These 

 are the words of Dr. Robert Ridgway regarding this retir- 

 ing but useful little bird. In its habits it very closely 

 resembles its relative, the vesper sparrow. Both frequent 

 meadows and nest on the ground. Not infrequently, when 



