200 LAND-BIRDS. 



paratively brief residence here through May and the summer 

 months. Mr. Maynard, however, considers them as " not im- 

 common " throughout this district, being " very numerous on 

 Nantucket Island " ; but Mr. Allen is, I think, right in believ- 

 ing them to be more abundant in the western than in the other 

 portions of the State, as, for instance, near Springfield. To 

 the northward of Massachusetts they perhaps do not occur. 

 They frequent almost exclusively dry fields, particularly such 

 as are sandy or do not contain a luxuriant vegetation, and 

 feed upon seeds and insects. They are rather shy, and often 

 nimbly escape a near approach. They run with ease, and 

 never leave the ground, except to take a short, low flight, or 

 to perch upon the top of some weed, or on some fence. 

 Though often more or less collective, they are never strictly 

 gregarious. 



d. Their ordinary notes are a chirr, much like the note of 

 some insect, and an occasional chick. Their song is so pecul- 

 iar as to be quite characteristic, and may be represented by 

 the syllables " chich', chick-a-see," with the chief accent on the 

 last and highest of these. Wilson speaks of their " short, 

 weak, interrupted chirrup." 



£, HENSLOWii. Henslov^s Bunting. Henslow'a Spar- 

 row. A summer resident in Massachusetts of rarity.* 



a. Five inches long (or less). \Jiike passerinus (_A,a) but 

 " more yellowish above, and with sharp maxillary, pectoral, 

 and lateral black streaks below." (Coues.) 



b. The nest, which is somewhat coarse, is built upon the 

 ground. " The eggs," says Dr. Brewer, " five or six in number, 

 somewhat resemble those of the C passerinus. Their ground 

 color is a clear bright white, and they are spotted with well- 

 defined reddish brown markings and more subdued tints of 

 purple. The markings, so far as I have seen their eggs, are 



* Heiislow*s Sparrow is now known herst, sparingly and locally in Berk- 



to breed throngliont most of Massachn- sliire Gonnty'. It has been also found 



setts (excepting Gape God), commonly in summer in northeastern Connecticut, 



but very locally in the eastern part of at Webster, New Hampshire, and at 



the State, quite numerously in portions Pownal, in southern Vermont. — W. B. 

 of Worcester County and near Am- 



