THE SWAMP SPARROW. 199 



ground like that of the latter, but is much more thoroughly 

 concealed in the weeds or tall grass. It is slight, and com- 

 posed almost entirely of dried grasses. The eggs, 4 or 5, 

 often not more than 3, about .76 x -54, are greenish or 

 grayish white, spotted and blotched with light brown and 

 lilac, especially about the large end where the markings 

 may become coronal. Sometimes the markings are dark 

 brown, and become so thick as almost to conceal the ground- 

 color. There are evidently two broods, the first in May and 

 the second late in June. The bird leaves the nest quietly, 

 and runs along in the grass apparently without alarm, 

 even gleaning her food as she goes. 



The Savanna Sparrow has always been regarded as par- 

 ticularly numerous near the sea-coast, breeds from Mary- 

 land and corresponding latitudes northward, and winters in 

 great abundance in the Southern States. 



The Ipswich Sparrow {Passerculus princeps), first reported 

 by Mr. Maynard, and since found to be a rather common 

 migrant from the north late in the fall, some remaining in 

 New England during the winter, may be simply a more 

 northern variety of the Savanna Sparrow, than which it is a 

 little larger, and paler in color and markings. 



THE SWAMP SPARROW. 



As early as the 22d of April, in the marshes of Tona- 

 wanda Swamp, I have heard the song of the Swamp Spar- 

 row (Melospiza palustris). The exact notation is difficult to 

 render in syllables. Nuttall speaks of it as "a few trilling, 

 rather monotonous, minor notes, resembling, in some 

 measure, the song of the Field Sparrow, and appearing 

 like twe, tw' tw' tw' tw' tw twe, and imF twil 'tw tw' twe, 

 uttered in a pleasing and somewhat varied warble." I 

 would add that the trill is in a clear, whistling tone, sound- 



