504 
GRANIVOROUS BIRDS. 
well as long claws, seem purposely provided to accele- 
rate this clinging and running on the uneven ground. 
The length of the Swamp Sparrow is about 6 inches: (I have 
measured young birds 5J,) and about 8 in alar dimensions. The 
crown bright bay, margined behind and in front with blackish ; back 
of the neck dark grey ; the anterior portion of the line passing 
over the eye is whitish, inclining to ash ; chin whitish ; a stripe of 
blackish proceeds from the lower mandible, and another from the 
posterior angle of the eye. Back blackish-brown, the feathers mar- 
gined with light bay, and some touches of yellowish- white ; wing- 
coverts bright bay and a little black, without any edgings of whitish. 
Wings and tail dusky, the primaries edged with brownish- white, the 
secondaries with bay ; 3d and 4th primaries the longest. Belly and 
vent brownish- white (in the female nearly white). Bill dusky, the 
lower mandible yellowish below. Iris dark hazel. Legs very stout 
and long, and, as well as the feet, pale brownish horn-color ; claws 
strong and sharp. — Young spotted with black and olive-brown, not 
bay, the breast also streaked with dusky. 
SHORE FINCH. 
(Fringilla *littoralis, Nobis. Oriolus caudacutus , Lath. Orn. i. p. 
186. No. 43. F. caudacuta , Wilson, iv. p. 70. pi. 34. fig. 3. 
Phil. Museum, No. 6442.) 
Sp. Charact. — Two stripes of brownish-orange, inclining to buff 
on each side of the head ; breast pale buff with small blackish 
spots ; tail wedge-shaped with the feathers acute. 
The Shore Finch is an inhabitant of the low islands 
and marshy sea-coasts from New York to Georgia, living 
on small shrimps, marine insects, and probably grass- 
seeds, moving through the rank herbage nearly with the 
same agility and timidity as the Swamp Sparrow, to 
which, in the structure of the feet and stoutness of the 
bill, it bears considerable affinity. These birds are not 
rare, though not so numerous as the Maritime Sparrow, 
with which they commonly associate. 
The Shore Finch is about 5^ inches long, and 7| in alar extent. 
Back yellowish-brown olive, some of the feathers edged with semi- 
