OF NEW ENGLAND. 191 
Dr. Coues considered this species abundant on the coast of 
New Hampshire, but “Mr. Brewster * * * * has looked for 
it in vain at Rye Beach.” Mr. Maynard doubts the occurrence 
of these birds on the coast of Massachusetts, but, says Mr. 
Allen, in his‘ Notes on the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts,” 
“they were formerly known 1o breed in the Chelsea marshes, 
and probably do still.” Wilson speaks of the Sea-side Finch 
as “‘keeping almost continually within the.boundaries of tide 
water,” and adds that “amidst the recesses of these wet sea 
marshes it seeks the rankest growth of grass, and sea weed, 
and climbs along the stalks of the rushes with as much dex- 
terity as it runs along the ground, which is rather a singular 
circumstance, most of our climbers being rather awkward at 
running.” 60 
(a). Their notes are said to be a chirp, and a song, hardly 
worthy, of the name, which is somewhat like that of the Yel- 
low-winged Sparrow. : 
(B) caupacutus. Sharp-tailed Finch. 
(A summer-resident in Massachusetts, but rare, being con- 
fined to a few marshes and other places. ) 
(a). About 53 inches long. Tail-feathers more sharply 
pointed than in maritimus. (Edge of the wing, yellowish.) 
Crown, brownish, black-streaked, and with a median line. 
Superciliary line, and sides of the head, orange-brown. Ear- 
patch, and back, brown or gray, olive-tinted; the latter dark- 
streaked (with feathers pale-edged). Beneath, white; breast, 
brownish-yellow, black-streaked. 
(0). The nest and eggs resemble very exactly those of the 
Sea-side Finch, being found in marshes and on the sea-shore. 
The eggs measure about ‘77°55 of an inch, and are white, 
gray-tinted, thickly, finely, and usually evenly marked with 
brown, which sometimes predominates about the crown, or is 
confluent. Mr. Brewster says that they are not laid here until 
the first week of July, but these may belong to a second set. 
(c). With the Sharp-tatled Finches I can claim no intimate 
60 Vol. IV, p. 68 
