SPECIES 16. FRINGILLJi PASSERINE. 
YELLOW-WINGED SPARROW. 
[Plate XXIV. — Fig. 5.] 
Peale’s Museum, JVo. 6585. 
This small species is now for the first time introduced to the 
notice of the public. I can, however, say little towards illustrat- 
ing its history, which, like that of many individuals of the hu- 
man race, would be but a dull detail of humble obscurity. It in- 
habits the lower parts of New York and Pennsylvania; is very 
numerous on Staten island, where I first observed it; and occurs 
also along the sea coast of New Jersey. But though it breeds 
in each of these places, it does not remain in any of them during 
the winter. It has a short, weak, interrupted chirrup, which it 
occasionally utters from the fences and tops of low bushes. Its 
nest is fixed on the ground, among the grass; is formed of loose 
dry grass, and lined with hair and fibrous roots of plants. The 
eggs are five, of a grayish white sprinkled with brown. On the 
first of August I found the female sitting. 
I cannot say what extent of range this species has, having 
never met with it in the southern states; though I have no doubt 
that it winters there with many others of its tribe. It is the scar- 
cest of all our summer Sparrows. Its food consists principally 
of grass seeds, and the larvje of insects, which it is almost con- 
tinually in search of among the loose soil and on the surface, 
consequently it is more useful to the farmer than otherwise. 
The length of this species is five inches, extent eight inches; 
upper part of the head blackish, divided by a slight line of white; 
hind head and neck above marked with short lateral touches of 
black and white; a line of yellow extends from above the eye 
to the nostril; cheeks plain brownish white; back streaked with 
