50 



SWAMP SPARROW 



fifteenth of August, I have seen them feeding their young that were 

 scarcely able to fly. Their principal food is grass seeds, wild oats, 

 and insects. They have no song; are distinguished by a single 

 chip or cheep, uttered in a rather hoarser tone than that of the Song 

 Sparrow; flirt the tail as they fly; seldom or never take to the 

 trees, but skulk from one low bush or swampy thicket to another. 



The Swamp Sparrow is five inches and a half long, and seven 

 inches and a half in extent; the back of the neck and front are 

 black; crown bright bay, bordered with black; a spot of yellow- 

 ish white between the eye and nostril ; sides of the neck and whole 

 breast dark ash; chin white; a streak of black proceeds from the 

 lower mandible, and another from the posterior angle of the eye; 

 back black, slightly skirted with bay ; greater coverts also black, 

 edged with bay; wings and tail plain brown; belly and vent brown- 

 ish white; bill dusky above, bluish below; eyes hazel; legs brown; 

 claws strong and sharp for climbing the reeds. The female wants 

 the bay on the crown, or has it indistinctly; over the eye is a line 

 of dull white. 



