SONG SPAEROW. 323 



Hab. — North America at large, but chiefly east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 breeding from the higher parts of the Alleghanies and Northern New York 

 and northern New England northward ; south in winter to the Gulf States. 



Nest, on the ground, rarely in a bush above it, composed of strips of bark, 

 grass and rootlets, lined with moss and hair. 



Eggs, four or five, greenish-white, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown. 



In Southern Ontario the "White Bill," as this species is familiarly- 

 called, may fairly be considered resident, for although it is most 

 numerous in April and October, it breeds commonly throughout the 

 country, and a few are always observed remaining during the winter. 



It is a very familiar species, showing a marked partiality for 

 rocky ravines, quarries and stone heaps. It is also common by the 

 roadsides and in gullies and other uncultivated places, but in the 

 dense bush we seldom see it, until we come to a spot where men and 

 horses have been at work felling and hauling timber. In such a 

 place at all seasons, its white tail feathers are almost sure to be 

 noticed flirting about among the brush. The ordinary note of this 

 species is a simple " chip," like the sound produced by striking two 

 pebbles together, but in the spring the male has a rather pleasing 

 little song, with which he cheers his mate while they are fitting 

 up their home. 



This species extends its migrations a long way to the north, 

 where Mr. Nelson says : "This is one of the rarest sparrows visiting 

 the coast of the Behring Sea. It is, however, much more numerous 

 in the interior, and is found more or less common along the entire 

 course of the Yukon, at the mouth of which it breeds." 



Genus MELOSPIZA Baird. 



MELOSPIZA FASCIATA (Gmel.). 



234. Song Sparrow. (581) 



Below, white, slightly shaded with brownish on the flanks and crissum, 

 breast and 'sides with numerous dusky streaks, with brown edges, coalescing 

 to form a pectoral blotch, and maxillary stripes bounding the throat ; crown 

 dull bay, with fine black streaks, divided and bounded on either side by 

 ashy-whitish lines ; vague brown or dusky and whitish markings on the 

 sides of the head ; the interscapular streaks black, with bay and ashy-white 

 edgings ; rump and cervix, grayish-brown, with merely a few bay marks ; 

 wings with dull bay edgings, the coverts and inner quills marked like the 

 interscapulars ; tail, obviously longer than the wings, pale brown, with darker 



