Birds of Indiana. 967 



when the day is gone and darkness reigns, they sing on. Mr. Beck- 

 ham mentions the ventriloquial effect of their voices. When sur- 

 prised, the birds, instead of flying, run or glide through the grass, 

 like a mouse or snake, and utter a sound more like the hissing of 

 a snake than the scolding of a bird. It is said not to be difficult 

 to mistake the escaping bird for a gliding snake. The theory has 

 been advanced that Bachman's Sparrow imitates, as far as possible, 

 the movements and hiss of a snake, as a means of protecting its nest 

 (Nehrling, K. A. Birds, XII., pp. 149-151). 



134. Kenus MELOSPIZA Baied. 



'. Breast and sides distinctly streaked at all ages. 

 6'. Maxillary stripe and breast white, the latter heavily streaked. 



M. ifasciata,(Gmel.). 225 

 b'. Maxillary stripe and breast buff, the latter lightly streaked. 



M. lincolni (Aud.). 226 

 a'. Breast and sides unstreaked, except in young (first plumage). 



M. georgiana (Lath.). 227 



*225. (581). Melospiza fasciata (Gmel.). 



Song Sparrow. 



Maxillary stripe, throat and other lower parts, white; sides and 

 crissum, washed with brownish; they and sides of throat streaked with 

 dark brown and black; breast with broad wedge-shaped streaks of 

 black and brown, which often unite to form a large spot in the 

 center; crown, rufous, divided in the middle by dark gray streak; 

 each feather streaked with black; line over eye, light gray; stripe back 

 of eye, and one on each side of maxillary stripe, rufous brown; other 

 upper parts, rusty-grayish, streaked with brown and black; tail feath- 

 ers, rufous brown above, the middle feathers blackish along their 

 shafts, and often with obsolete wave markings. 



Length, 6.00-6.75; wing, 2.45-3.80; tail, 2.58-3.02. 



Eange. — Eastern North America, west to base of Eocky Moun- 

 tains; north to Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Breeds from Virginia, 

 northern Kentucky, southeastern Indiana and northern Illinois, 

 northward. Winters from Indiana and Massachusetts, southward. 



Nest, on ground or in bush; of grass, leaves and bark strips, lined 

 with grass and hairs. Eggs, 4-5; light greenish or bluish-white, 

 marked with brown; .79 by .59. 



The Song Sparrow is a resident throughout the State. In the 

 northern portion, most of them leave during the severest part of the 

 winter. This is more noticeable late years, since so many of the 



