THE RETURN OF THE NATIVES. 67 



ners and markings that it at once attracts attention. 

 Directing the field-glass, my only weapon, toward 

 it, I find it has a yellowish streak above the eye, 

 two broad dark bands and a medial light line over 

 the crown, gray above, with breast thickly spat- 

 tered with black, mud-colored spots and stripes. 

 The tail is quite short, and slightly forked. It 

 seems unwilling to use its wings, its long legs 

 enabling it to keep a few yards ahead of me. 

 Sometimes it walks slowly when passing through 

 high tussocks of grass for seeds and insects, then 

 it will hop along swiftly like other sparrows, or 

 jump up to glean the seeds of last year's heads, 

 or run away like a sandpiper when it suddenly be- 

 thinks itself that it is too near for safety. As I 

 follow it closely, it at last becomes uneasy and 

 suspicious, and finally takes to its wings, alighting 

 in a low apple-tree some distance away, where it 

 remains a minute or .two in silence, to reflect upon 

 the situation before again descending to its terres- 

 trial pursuits. It is the Sa vannah sparrow , and 

 is the only individual seen, as if it had in its 

 migration been blown away from its fellows and 

 had fallen in the midst of these social chippies, 

 that appear not at all displeased with the distin- 

 guished stranger. 



