168 BIEDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTEKN NEW YORK 



and along the sides of the throat. Birds seen from June to 

 the middle of Septemher all have streaked breasts ; and this 

 streaking and the buffy cheeks distinguish them from their 

 relatives and companions the Seaside Sparrows. (See preced- 

 ing species.) Young birds have less streaking than the 

 adults, but are much yellower below than the Seaside Spar- 

 rows. 



Note. — There is another species of Sharp-tailed Sparrow, the Aca- 

 dian {Ammodramus nelsoni subvirgatus), "which inhabits the salt marshes 

 of New Brunswick, and has been found breeding in Sagadahoc County, 

 Me. It occurs on the rest of tlie New ^England coast as a spring and 

 fall migrant in May and October, but resembles the preceding species 

 so closely that only a traine'd observer, viewing the bird at close range, 

 could distinguish it. A third subspecies (Ammodramus nelsoni) also 

 occurs in October. 



Henslow's Sparrow. Ammodramus henslowii 

 5.00 



Ad. — Upper parts dark brown, streaked with blackish; under 

 parts whitish, narrowly streaked with black on breast and sides; 

 tail short and narrow; bill heavy. 



Nest, on ground. Eggs, grayish- white, thickly speckled with pale 

 brown. 



Henslow's Sparrow is a rare summer resident of southern 

 and central New England, arriving in May and leaving in 



August. It is an extremely 

 local bird, occurring in south- 

 ern New England in exten- 

 sive wet meadows along 

 sluggish streams, and in 

 Berkshire County and in 

 southern New Hampshire 

 in the ill-drained hillsides 

 Fig. 49. Henslow's Sparrow g^ the upland, where the 



w^et, neglected pastures are partially overgrown with spiraea, 

 or the shrubby cinquefoil. From May to early August one 

 can hear from such meadows or pastures one of the simplest 



