96 OUR SOUTHERN BIRDS 



SAVANNAH SPARROW 



This shy ground bird steals through the 

 weeds and grasses so quietly, and disappears 

 into the fence or the underbrush so quickly when 

 disturbed, that one may pass years among the 

 birds without suspecting how many Savannah 

 Sparrows inhabit our marshes and pastures dur- 

 ing the winter. The habit of sitting alone out 

 of doors while sketching has revealed to me 

 many of the shyer and quieter species of birds, 

 who, though easily startled by the slightest move- 

 ment, will pass close by a motionless figure with- 

 out fearing or perhaps even suspecting its pres- 

 ence. It was in this way that I gained my first 

 sight of the Savannah Sparrow. They were a 

 small flock feeding in the grass, pecking along 

 from clump to clump, chirping mildly and soci- 

 ably, and every now and then raising their pretty 

 round heads to look watchfully about them. 

 Their streaked breasts, and the buff markings 

 round their soft bright eyes, were plain to view; 

 but they never saw me! If they had, what a 

 fluttering and scattering away through the old 

 fields, cat brier and sumach tangles must have 

 ensued ! 



This Sparrow is no singer, but before going 

 north to the lowlands of Canada and Nova Scotia 

 to build his nest sometimes offers us a weak 



