110 
CHIPPING SPARROW. 
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 Lave observed the same accidental 
habit in the Red-winged Blackbird, which sometimes builds among the 
grass, as well as on alder busbes. 
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 posterior angle of the eye, dark chestnut ; breast 
and sides under the wings thickly marked with long pointed spots of 
dark chestnut, centered 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 colored ; wing coverts 
black, broadly edged with bay, and tipped with yellowish white; wings 
dark brown. The female is scarcely distinguishable by its plumage 
from the male. The bill in both horn colored. 
Species YI. FRIXGILLA SOCIALIS. 
CHIPPING SPARROW. 
[Plate XVI. Fig. 5.] 
Passer domesticus, the little House Sparrow, or Chipping-bird, Bartra.m, p. 291. 
This species, though destitute of the musical talents of the former, is 
perhaps more generally known, because more familiar and even domes- 
tic. He inhabits, during summer, the city, in common with man, build- 
ing in the branches of the trees with which our streets and gardens are 
ornamented; and gleaning up crumbs from our yards, and even our 
doors, to feed his more advanced young with. I have known one of 
these birds attend regularly every day, during the whole summer, while 
the family were at dinner, under a piazza, fronting the garden, and pick 
up the crumbs that were thrown to him. This sociable habit, which 
continues chiefly during the summer, is a singular characteristic. To- 
wards the end of summer he takes to the fields, and hedges, until the 
weather becomes severe, with snow, when he departs for the south. 
The Chipping-bird builds his nest- most commonly in a cedar bush, 
and lines it thickly with cow-hair. The female lays four or five eggs 
of a light blue color, with a few dots of purplish black near the great 
end. 
