234 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



tor, chiefly on the coast. In migration it is likely to be found 

 almost anywhere in the State. It was common in dry, grassy 

 spots around the marshes on Dauphin Island, February 12, 

 1912, and several specimens were secured on that date. Sev- 

 eral were taken also near Bayou Labatre, May 16, 1911, and 

 November 23 to 26, 1915, and one at Orange Beach, September 

 21, 1911. 



General habits. — This species is a ground dweller and con- 

 fined mostly to wet marshes or the dry grass bordering the 

 marsh. It is shy and very averse to leaving the cover of the 

 marsh grass, among which it runs like a mouse. During their 

 stay in the South, these birds scarcely ever utter any notes. 

 The song is described by Goss as "a short, weak, unmusical 

 twittering warble." 



Food habits. — Seven stomachs of this bird examined in the 

 Biological Survey showed the food to consist of caterpillars, 

 flies, weevils, crickets, army worms, small mollusks, and the 

 seeds of grasses, including wild rice. 



HOWELL SEASIDE SPARROW: Thryospiza maritima 

 howelli (Griscom and Nichols) .f 



State records. — The Howell seaside sparrow, recently de- 

 scribed from Alabama, is not generally distributed, but occurs 

 in more or less isolated colonies along the coast. In the breed- 

 ing season (May) I found none in any of the big marshes 

 about Mobile Bay or at Bayou Labatre. It breeds commonly, 

 however, at Alabama Port, and abundantly on Grande Batture 

 Island, living in wet marshes and in low bushes growing on 

 the beach. After the breeding season was over, in July and 

 August, Gutsell found it abundant in the Bayou Labatre 

 marshes and fairly common on Petit Bois Island. On Dauphin 

 Island it breeds commonly and occurs also in winter; 8 to 10 

 were seen there on February 13, 1913. Several were secured 

 at Bayou Labatre, February 15, 1912, and November 23, 1915. 

 A few were seen at Bon Secour in October, 1908, and about 

 6 on Coffee Island near Coden, December 4, 1916. Although 



-tPwacrherbnlna maritimns howelU Griscom and Nichols, Abstr. Froc. Linnaea'n Soe.. 

 New York, No. 32, p. 22, November 3, 1920; type from Dauphin Island, Ala. 



