322 BIRDS 



the buff-colored breast, and the orange-colored line before 

 the eyes. Its home is on the ground, where its retiring 

 habits lead it to seek the protecting cover of tall grass and 

 other herbage. As it is not often seen except when flushed, 

 or when it rises to the rail of a fence or to the top of a 

 tall spear of grass to utter its peculiar song, it is often 

 considered rare. It is, however, a common bird in many 

 localities of its range, which covers the whole of eastern 

 North America, where it builds, upon the ground, its nest 

 of grass lined with hair and a few feathers. It nests as far 

 north as Massachusetts and ^Minnesota and Avdnters in the 

 Southern States and the adjacent islands. 



This bird was given the name Grasshopper Sparrow 

 from the fancied resemblance of its weak cherup — "a 

 peculiar monotonous song" — to the shrilling produced by 

 the long-horned grasshopper. However, the song often 

 begins and ends with a faint warble. Mr. Chapman says 

 that these notes " may be written pit tuck zee-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e." 



The name of this little bird is not only appropriate 

 because of its song, but also on account of its food. A 

 very large percentage of its food consists of grasshoppers. 



In rural districts it is seldom called a sparrow, and is 

 more commonly called grass-bird, ground-bird, or grass- 

 hopper-bird. Another appropriate name is yellow-winged 

 sparrow. All these names well portray its habits and char- 

 acteristics. Its flights are short and rapid, but "on the 

 ground or in the grass it runs like meadow mice to elude 

 the presence and notice of intruders." 



Both sexes bear the responsibilities of brooding and 

 their home life seems to be one round of contentment. 



