OF NEW ENGLAND. 199 
built their nests. Although they were eminently terrestrial in 
habits, and fed and nested on the ground, yet they not unfre- 
quently alighted on the fences between the pastures, and by the 
roadsides, or rarely on the telegraph-wires. They were very 
nimble on the ground, often chasing the insects, which consti- 
tuted their chief food; and usually, when frightened from their 
nests, they feigned lameness, and endeavored to lead one from 
* the spot,—whereas the Bay-winged Buntings generally flew at 
once to some near fence. Unlike these latter, they did not 
often venture to the roads, except when, autumn drawing near, 
they associated with the ‘Grass Finches,” and followed their 
habits more closely than during the breeding-season. In Sep 
tember they seemed less numerous than in July, but wandered 
much more freely over the country. 
In Massachusetts, a few stay until November, but a majority 
pass to the southward earlier, and I have never known any to 
spend the winter in New England.. There is nothing very 
characteristic in their flight, which is usually short and low. 
They are often shy, and can never be closely approached when 
on the ground, and though they sometimes feed in gardens 
near houses or barns, they commonly prefer the more remote 
fields, where civilization is not busy. 
(d): Their notes are interesting, as distinct from those of 
other birds, and so far as I know, are appreciably like only 
those of the Yellow-winged Sparrows. Besides a low chip (?) 
they have a peculiar chirp, which one might reasonably attrib- 
ute to some loud-voiced cricket or beetle, and which also bears 
resemblance to the Night ‘‘Hawk’s” ordinary cry. Their 
song-notes are very characteristic, and are drawly but musical. 
They nearly resemble the syllables chip-chirr, sometimes ex- 
tended to chip-chee, chee-chee-chirr, or so varied as to be a song. 
In describing three common birds, frequently confused by 
the ignorant or inexperienced, namely :—the Savannah Finch, 
the Bay-winged Bunting, and the Song Sparrow, I have en- 
deavored to mark the characteristic differences so as to render 
their identification a matter of no difficulty. These streaked 
species, as well as their ground-nesting relations, are often 
