FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. -13 



■^SLATE-COLORED JUNCO 

 Junco hyemalis hyemalis. Case 2, Fig. 43; Case 4, Fig. 41 



The plumage of the female is tinged with brownish, but the 

 prevailing tone is slate-gray, unlike that of any of our other 

 Sparrows. The white outer-tail feathers are conspicuously 

 flashed in flight. L. 6J. 



Range. Nests from northern New England and northern 

 New York to Canada and southward in the mountains to Penn- 

 sylvania; winters in all the Eastern States. The Carolina Junco 

 (/. h. carolinensis) , a slightly larger race without a brownish 

 tinge, nests in the higher parts of the Alleghanies from Maryland 

 to northern Georgia, descending to the adjacent lowlands in 

 winter. 



Washington, abundant W. V„ Sept. 26-May 12. Ossining, 

 common W. V., Sept. 19-May 4. Cambridge, rather common 

 W. V., abundant T. V., Sept. 20-Nov. 25; Mch. 20-Apl. 20. 

 N. Ohio, abundant W. V., Oct. 2-May 5. Glen Ellyn, W. V„ 

 abundant spring and fall, Aug. 30-May 13. SE. Minn., common 

 T. V., Mch. 4-; Sept. 20-Nov. 12. 



Gray skies and a snow-covered earth are the Junco 

 colors, and when he flashes them along the hedgerows and 

 wood borders we know that although it is only late 

 September, winter will soon be with us. From that time 

 until April the Junco is of our commonest birds. He 

 visits our food-shelf and roosts in our evergreens, becom- 

 ing almost as domestic as the Chipping Sparrow. The 

 Junco's call-notes are a sharp tsip, a contented chew-chew- 

 chew, and a sharp kissing call. Its modest, musical little 

 trill we shall not hear until spring. The nest is built 

 on the ground, and the 4-5 white, speckled, or spotted, 

 eggs are laid late in May. 



BACHMAN'S SPARROW 

 Peuctca astivalis bachmani 



With a general resemblance to a Field Sparrow but bill black 

 and larger, cheeks and underparts more buffy, tail shorter, no 

 evident wing bars. 



Range. Southeastern United States from central Georgia to 

 Virginia and from northwestern Florida to central Illinois; 

 winters from North Carolina to northern Florida. 



