82 



THE RELATION OF SPARROWS TO AGRICULTURE. 



sedge, sheathed rush-grass, pigeon-grass, crab-grass, and other pani- 

 cnms, paspalum, and a small quantity of grain; the second com- 

 prises ragweed and polj^gonums; and the third includes the seeds of 

 various plants the majority of which are such weeds as amaranth, 

 lamh's-quarters, chickweed, purslane, tick-trefoil, vetch, gromwell, 

 wood sorrel, sedge, sheep-sorrel, wild sunflower, and Russian this- 

 tle. The seeds of amaranth and lamb's-quarters are by far the most 

 important in the diet. Few other sparrows eat as many of these 

 seeds as the junco, which feeds on them chiefly in March when, 

 doubtless, other and more palatable seeds are too scarce to be easily 

 obtained. 



The effect of the junco during its stay on agricultural land is that 

 of an unmixed beneflt, because the good done by its extensive con- 

 sumption of weed seeds is not counterbalanced by any real harm; 

 even the slight tendencj^ toward grain eating is practically harmless, 

 since most of the grain eaten consists of waste kernels. 



SONG SPARROW. 



{3Mos2nza melodia and subspecies.) 



The song sparroAv (see fig. 17), unlike the junco, occupies agricultu- 

 ral areas in summer. It breeds throughout the United States, includ- 

 ing Alaska south of 

 Unalaska, and is 

 found also in Can- 

 ada and Mexico. In 

 winter there is a 

 shifting southward, 

 but the species is 

 still to be found in 

 most of the States 

 except the northern 

 tier. 



The bird honestly 

 merits its title of 

 song sparrow, for 

 its bright, canary- 

 like laj^ is one of 

 the most attractive 

 voices of the spring, and is familiar to manj^ that do not know the 

 identity of its author. In habitat it differs slightly from both field 

 and chipping sparrows : it is not so often met with in the open country 

 as the one, or in the orchard as the other, but is most likely to be 

 found inhabiting bushes along water courses. Sometimes, however, 

 it frequents the shrubbery near buildings, in which case it may often 

 be seen, in company with worthless English sparrows, hunting about 



/m 

 ((/c/ 



Fig. 17.— Song sparrow. 



