270 SONG SPARROW. 



observed multitudes of these birds mixed with several other 

 species ; for these places appear to be the grand winter ren- 

 dezvous of almost all our sparrows. I have found this bird 

 in every district of the United States, from Canada to the 

 southern boundaries of Georgia ; but Mr Abbot informs me, 

 that he knows of only one or two species that remain in that 

 part of Georgia during the summer. 



The song sparrow builds on the ground, under a tuft of 

 grass ; the nest is formed of fine dry grass, and lined with 

 horse hair ; the eggs are four or five, thickly marked with 

 spots of reddish brown, on a white, sometimes bluish white 

 ground ; if not interrupted, raises three broods in the season. 

 I have found his nest with young as early as the 26th of 

 April, and as late as the 12th of August. What is singular, 

 the same bird often fixes his nest in a cedar tree, five or six 

 feet from the ground. Supposing this to have been a variety, 

 or different species, I have examined the bird, nest, and eggs, 

 with particular care several times, but found no difference. 

 I have observed the same accidental habit in the red-winged 

 blackbird, which sometimes builds among the grass, as well as 

 on alder bushes. 



This species is six inches and a half long, and eight and a 

 half in extent ; upper part of the head, dark chestnut, divided 

 laterally by a line of pale dirty white ; spot at each nostril, 

 yellow ochre ; line over the eye, inclining to ash ; chin, white; 

 streak from the lower mandible, slit of the mouth, and poste- 

 rior angle of the eye, dark chestnut ; breast, and sides, under 

 the wings, thickly marked with long pointed spots of dark 

 chestnut, centred with black, and running in chains ; belly, 

 white ; vent, yellow ochre, streaked with brown ; back, 

 streaked with black, bay, and pale ochre ; tail, brown, 

 rounded at the end, the two middle feathers streaked down 

 their centres with black ; legs, flesh coloured ; wing-coverts, 

 black, broadly edged with bay, and tipt with yellowish white ; 

 wings, dark brown. The female is scarcely distinguishable by 

 its plumage from the male. The bill in both, horn coloured. 



