OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 281 



place; another structure was built in a bunch of 

 grass in the midst of a small grassy pond. The 

 complement of eggs, according to the last named 

 authority is five. 



The eggs discovered near Racine by Dr. Hoy, 

 according to Dr. Brewer, are a pale greenish-white, 

 and densely marked with ferruginous brown dots 

 and blotches, to such an extent as sometimes to 

 disguise the gl'ound-color. They measure .74 by 

 .60 of an inch. 



This species probably winters in Guatemala, and 

 certainly in Mexico as it is quite common here in 

 the winter. 



Melospiza palusins, Baird. 



The Swamp Sparrow is an occasional winter 

 resident in Eastern Pennsylvania, but is principally, 

 a migrant species, where'it arrives during the last 

 week of April or the first week of May. Among 

 unscientific persons it is not generally known in 

 consequence of its love of retirement and its 

 peculiar haunts. It seldom if ever visits the habi- 

 tations of man, but chiefly delights in low, marshy 

 grounds, and the borders of streams. For a week 

 after its arrival it is somewhat gregarious, the btilk 

 retiring farther north, while a few remain here to 

 bree 



Though partial to places whicli are seldom 

 visited by human beings, save where a love of 

 nature is their controlling motive, yet we are as- 

 sured from a long experience that it manifests less 



