286 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



Hale County, where he speaks of it as uncommon, occurring 

 chiefly in the "black lands." He observed young birds with 

 their parents in July, and took specimens August 1, 1890 

 (adult), and September 11, 1890 (young). C. S. Brimley 

 took 4 specimens near Greensboro, August 16, 1890. Gutsell 

 took 1 specimen, probably a migrant, on Petit Bois Island, 

 August 30, 1911. Near Leighton, July 4, 1913, Holt picked 

 up a dead specimen in the road, and the next day saw 2 more 

 of the birds near the Tennessee River. I saw one near Leigh- 

 ton, April 25, 1914. 



General habits. — The favorite haunts of this bird are 

 prairies and meadows, but it is said to have a fondness, also, 

 for cornfields. It lives on or near the ground and somewhat 

 resembles the vesper sparrow in habits and appearance, 

 though its rounded tail with white-tipped feathers suggests 

 the mourning dove. The nest is placed on the ground at the 

 foot of a weed or corn stalk, more rarely in a low bush. 



The song, according to Ridgway — 



is composed of a series of chants, each syllable rich, loud, and 

 clear, interspersed with emotion trills. At the beginning the 

 song reminds one somewhat of that of the Indigo Bird (Pasee- 

 rina cyanea), but the notes are louder and more metallic, and 

 their delivery more vigorous.t 



Food habits. — The food of this sparrow is composed of in- 

 sects (27 per cent) , and the seeds of grasses, weeds, and grain 

 (73 per cent). Judd says of it: "The lark sparrow is, with 

 the exception of the dickcissel and grasshopper sparrow, the 

 most valuable grasshopper destroyer of all the native spar- 

 rows. More than half of its animal food (14 per cent of the 

 total) consists of these insects, and in June they constitute 

 43 per cent of the diet."t In some sections of Illinois, accord- 

 ing to H. K. Coale, this sparrow is called the "potato bird'^ 

 from its habit of feeding on potato bugs. Mr. Coale adds that 

 few survive the Paris green which they eat with the potato 

 bugs.* If this habit is prevalent in Alabama, it may in part 

 account for the rarity of the species there. 



•f Ridgway, H., Ornith. Illinois, vol. 1, pp. 263-264, 1889. 

 jjudd, S. J., Biol. Surv. Bull. 15, p. 67, 1901. 

 •Coale, H. K., in Bidgway, op. cit., p. 264. 



