BIRD NOTES FROM LONG ISLAND, N. Y. 
BY WILLIAM DUTCHER. 
i. Passerculus princeps. Maynard. Ipswich Sparrow. 
— While collecting, January i, 1883, on Jones Beach* ; I was for- 
tunate enough to secure four specimens of this Sparrow. The 
first one seen was shot while running through the short beach- 
grass, between two sand-dunes. The others were flushed in 
similar localities and shot while flying. Another was seen but 
escaped. February 14, 1883, the gunner who usually accompa- 
nies me on my collecting trips, shot on the same beach two more 
specimens, which he sent me. He wrote that he saw one other, 
which he could not secure. February 22, 1883, I again visited 
this beach and saw two more specimens, both of which I secured. 
The following measurements were carefully taken while the birds 
were in the flesh : 
Sex. 
Extent. 
Length. 
Whig. 
S 
6.12 
10.00 
3.00 
? 
6.25 
10.00 
3.06 
? 
6.25 
9 - 5 ° 
2.88 
s 
6.25 
9-75 
3.00 
s 
6.50 
10.25 
3.06 
s 
6.00 
9-50 
2.88 
? 
6.00 
9-75 
3.00 
s 
6.00 
9 - 5 ° 
CO 
CO 
ri 
— 
— 
— 
— 
Average 
6.17 
9.78 
2.97 
* Jones Beach is part of the Great South Beach of Long Island, distant about 28 
miles east from New York City. Auki J J an 1884. p. J/. 
BIRD NOTES FROM LONG ISLAND, N. Y. 
BY WILLIAM DUTCHER. 
i. Passerculus princeps Maynard. Ipswich Sparrow. — Wishing to 
ascertain whether this species is as rare as it has been generally supposed 
to be, or was overlooked from the inaccessibility of its winter habitat, I 
arranged with two of my correspondents to send me all the individuals of 
this species that they could secure. Both of them spend the winter 
months on the beach, one at Fire Island Inlet and the other at Shinne- 
cock Bay, which is some forty miles further east. That they might be 
perfectly familiar with these birds, I sent them early in the autumn a skin 
of one as a sample. December 29, 1883, I received from my Fire Island 
correspondent twenty-nine specimens which he shot between December 
17 and 29. He informed me that he had looked carefully but unsuccess- 
fully for them until December 17, when he found six and secured them all: 
Subsequent to that time and prior to the 29th he secured twenty-three 
additional specimens. lie also added that he usually observed them in 
pairs, although sometimes there would be three or four together. They 
were always found feeding on the seeds of tall grasses and weeds that 
were above the snow level. January 30 he wrote, “I have not seen any 
Sparrows lately.” My Shinnecock Bay correspondent did not succeed 
in getting any specimens until February 4, 1884, when he sent me four, 
and also stated, “these birds are very scarce.” February 27, 1884, he suc- 
ceeded in securing two additional specimens, which he sent to me, and 
again directed my attention to their scarcity. February 22, 1884, I hunted 
carefully for this Sparrow on Rockaway Beach, but unsuccessfully. I am 
quite positive, however, that I saw three or four individuals, but they were 
so wild I could not secure them. March 7, 1884, my correspondent at Fire 
Island wrote that he had seen but one Sparrow since the first cold spell 
when he sent me twenty-nine, and that he was at a loss to know whether 
he had killed them all or whether they had gone away. Of the thirty- 
five specimens received five measured 6.75 inches in length, and only two 
were under 6. 15 inches. The largest and smallest birds measured respect- 
ively : 
Length, 6.75; extent, 10.50; wing, 3.20. 
“ 6.10; “v'%*s; “ 2-65- 
The average of the thirty-five specimens was : length, 6.49; extent, 10.02 ; 
wing, 3.03. 
Auk, 2, Jan., 1885. p. - J 7. 
