LAND BIRDS OP THE DUNES 



rare Baird's sparrow, but in 1870, after two 

 more specimens had been taken, tbe fact was 

 discovered that this was a bird entirely new 

 to science. Mr. Maynard called it the large 

 barren-ground sparrow, but the- name Ipswich 

 sparrow has always clung to it, and the former 

 name has been forgotten. As soon as the bird 

 had been pointed out by Mr. Maynard, orni- 

 thologists began to discover it all along the 

 sandy coasts. It is coimnon at Ipswich during 

 November and December, very rare during 

 January and February, but not uncommon 

 during the latter part of March and the first 

 part of April. My extreme dates are Octo- 

 ber 11th and April 12th. 



It is natural that ornithologists, after dis- 

 covering the winter haunts, should wish to 

 know the breeding home of this bird. The 

 presence in the National Museum at Wash- 

 ington of a series of eggs from Sable Island, 

 Nova Scotia, labelled " Savannah sparrow," 

 but somewhat larger than the eggs of that 

 bird, strongly suggested the possibility that 

 they might belong to the nearly related but 

 larger Ipswich sparrow. To settle this point, 

 Dr. Jonathan D wight, Jr., made an ornitho- 

 logical pilgrimagfe to this island in May, 1894, 



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