SEA-SIDE SPARROW. 



Ammodramus .maritiwus Swainson. 



^HIS Sparrow inhabits similar localities as the preceding species, but its distribu- 

 tion is more southward, breeding, as it does, from Massachusetts south to Texas 

 on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It seems to be particularly common on the coast of 

 South Carolina and Georgia, which consists of various islands. These are, according to 

 Maynard, separated by deep sounds which form the mouths of the numerous rivers that 

 flow through this section of the country. The islands are not much elevated, but are 

 above high water mark, while the land back of them is very low, being, in fact, over- 

 flowed by the tide. These salt marshes are quite wide, extending for some hundreds of 

 miles along the shore, and are intersected by numerous creeks, some of which are very 

 deep. Here the Sea-side Sparrows, or, as they are sometimes termed, the Gray Shore 

 Finches, find a home in the tall grass which gi-ows very densely, forming a complete 

 protection to them. Thus they are perfectly safe, having few if any enemies ; therefore 

 they have increased to a surprising degree; in short, they fairly swarm in countless 

 numbers. Mr. Maynard says, "that every square acre held its thousands, and every 

 mile its hundreds of thousands of these little gray birds." At first he was not aware 

 that there were so many, for he entered the marshes during a low course of tides, but 

 when the water rose so high as to cover all but isolated patches of tall grass, forcing 

 the birds to congregate in them in large flocks, he saw how numerous they really were. 

 Usually they live concealed, but at such times they retreat before the advancing flood, 

 until they are obliged to perch on the tops of the swaying grass, where they crouch 

 patiently awaiting the subsiding of the waters, when they seek their fastnesses and run 

 about on the mud in search of small shells and aquatic insects which form, in addition 

 to various seeds, their food. Maynard found the bird also breeding at Cedar Keys, 

 Fla., as early as February: 



"The males would give their performance morning and evening, and throughout 

 the day if the weather were stormy. The song consisted of four notes, the first two 

 were given abruptly with a distinct articulation, while the last were more connected ; 

 the former being low and quick, the latter prolonged and accented, and both together 

 much resembled the carol of the Red- winged Blackbird; in fact I thought the sound 

 was produced by this bird, as the Finches were almost always concealed at the time. 

 While giving this singular song the bird becomes greatly excited, ruffling his feathers, 

 spreading his tail, and drooping his wings, while the head is bowed forward when the 

 last syllable is uttered, as if it cost him a very great effort. This somewhat rude lay 

 is evidently quite attractive to the female, for she is always near the spot, and the 

 male often pauses in order to pursue her through the grass. Besides the notes I have 

 described, the Gray Shore Finch utters a low twittering song while hovering in the air 

 a few feet above the grass. It is a singular fact that these birds were about to lay so 

 early in the season at Cedar Keys, for they do not nest in the Carolinas until the first 

 of June which is but a little earlier than the breeding time in Connecticut. The nest is 



