SEA-SIDE FINCH. 311 
been taken from a’ yourig male, which is sometimes found considerably 
less than the female. 
1 3 
——>>—_——_ 
SEA-SIDE FINCH.—FRINGILLA MARITIMA.—Fie. 151. 
. AMMODRAMUS MARITIMUS. — Swainson. 
Ammodramus, Sivain. Zool. Journ, No. 11, p. 348.—Fringilla maritima, Bonay:. 
Sup P 110. — The Sea-side Finch, Aud. Orn. Biog. 1. p. 470, pl. 93, male 
and female. 
Or this bird I can find no description. It inhabits the low, rush- 
covered sea islands along our Atlantic coast, where I first found it; 
keeping almost continually within the boundaries of tide water, except 
when long and violent east or northeasterly storms, with high tides, 
compel it to seek the shore. On these occasions it courses along the 
margin, and among the holes and interstices of the weeds and sea- 
wrack, with a rapidity equalled only by the nimblest of our Sand- 
pipers, and very much in their manner.’ At these times also it roosts 
on the ground, and runs about after dusk. ~ 
This species derives its whole subsistence from the sea. I exam- 
ined a great number of individuals by dissection, and found their 
stomachs universally filled with fragments. of shrimps, minute shell- 
fish, and broken limbs of small sea-crabs. : Its flesh, also, as was to be 
expected, tasted of fish, or what is usually termed sedgy. Amidst the 
recesses of these wet sea-marshes, it-seeks the rankest growth of grass 
and sea-weed, and climbs along the stalks of the rushes with as much 
dexterity .as it runs along the ground, which is rather a singular cir- 
cumstance, most of our climbers being rather awkward at running. 
The Sea-side Finch is six inches and a quarter long, and eight, and 
a quarter in extent; chin, pure white, bordered on each side by a 
stripe of dark ash, proceeding from each base of the lower mandible ; 
above that is another slight streak of white ; from the nostril over the 
eye extends another streak, which immediately over the lores is rich 
* The Sea-side and Short-tailed Finches constitute the genus Ammodramus of 
Swainson. ‘The former was discovered by Wilson ; the latter is the Sharp-tailed 
Oriole of Latham. They are both peculiar to North America, and are nearly con- 
fined to the salt marshes on the coast. They are very curious in their structure, 
combining, as remarked by our author, properties for either running or climbing. 
The tail is truly scansorial; the feet partly so; the hallux, formed for running, 
having the claw elongated, and of a flat bend, as among the Larks. , 
Mr. Audubon has figured this bird with the nest. He says it is placed, so near 
thé ground, that one might suppose it sunk into it, although this is not actually the 
case. Itis composed externally of coarse grass, and 6 lined with finer kinds, but 
exhibits little regularity. The eggs are from four to six, elongated, grayish white, 
freckled with brown all over. ‘i'hey build in elevated, shrubby places, where many 
nests may be found in the space of an acre. When the young are grown, they 
betake themselves to the ditches and sluices. which intersect the salt marshes, and 
find abundant food. They enter ‘the larger holes of crabs,’and every crack and 
crevice of the drying mud. In this they much resemble‘ the Wrens, who enjoy en- 
tering and prying into every chink or opening of their own haunts. Mr. Audubon 
had some dressed in a pie, but found them quite unpalatable. —Ep. 
