128 Contributions from the Charleston Museum. 



arrive from the north in the autumn they herald their presence 

 with song, and the song period lasts all through the winter when 

 the temperature is not below the freezing point. 



The Song Sparrow is commonly found almost everywhere 

 while it sojourns here, but it seems to prefer low bushes and 

 thickets which are near fields rather than the interior of the for- 

 est. At all times it appears to have a predilection for low, wet 

 lands, and its date of arrival in autumn is governed by the pres- 

 ence or absence of water on the land. I have noticed that if 

 there is a drought the birds do not arrive until about October 9. 

 This is a hardy species. It migrates during the second week in 

 March and I have never observed it later than March 30 except 

 on April 22, 1907, when I saw one near Mount Pleasant. 1 



The Song Sparrow breeds from Virginia to the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. 



220. Melospiza georgiana (Lath.). Swamp Sparrow. 



The Swamp Sparrow arrives in the autumn by October 5, and 

 if the conditions of the weather are favorable, that is, if there is 

 water upon the land, the birds are abundant by the 16th of the 

 month. I have detected this species as late as May 16, yet it 

 does not breed. It inhabits low, swampy lands where there are 

 bushes or thickets of briars as well as fields of broom grass, and 

 I have found it commonly in the interior of large swamps. 



There is an autumnal moult after the birds arrive, which is 

 confined to the head and throat, as well as a regular spring moult 

 before they depart for the north. Prof. Robert Ridgway states: ' 



That the chestnut crown-patch is not a seasonal character is proven by speci- 

 mens, of both sexes, thus marked, which were obtained in autumn and winter. 



I dislike very much to question this statement of so eminent 

 an authority, but the fact remains that I have yet to see a 

 specimen in the autumn and winter months which has a chestnut 

 crown-patch. The spring moult begins about the middle of 

 March and the chestnut crown-patch is perfected by April 9. 



This species breeds from the Northern States northward to 

 Labrador. 



221. Passerella iliaca (Merr.). Fox Sparrow. 



This species is a very late autumn, winter, and early spring 



'The Charleston Museum has a number of April records of this species, e. g. — April 

 13, 1906, and April 14 and 21, 1907, by Mr. F. M. Weston, Jr.— Ed. 

 2 Birds of North and Middle America, I, 382. 



