SONG SPARROW. 
253 
arrives from tlie north ; and, from this circumstance, 
and their general resemblance, has arisen the mistake. 
The tree sparrow is six inches and a half long, and 
nine and a half in extent; the whole upper part of the 
head is of a bright reddish chestnut, sometimes slightly 
skirted with gray ; from the nostrils, over the eye, 
passes a white strip, fading into pale ash, as it extends 
hack ; sides of the neck, chin, and breast, very pale 
ash ; the centre of the breast marked with an obscure 
spot of dark brown ; from the lower angle of the bill, 
proceeds a slight streak of chestnut ; sides, under the 
wings, pale brown ; back, handsomely streaked with 
pale drab, bright bay, and black; lower part of the 
back and rump, brownish drab ; lesser wing-coverts, 
black, edged with pale ash; wings, black, broadly 
edged with bright bay ; the first and second row of 
coverts, tipt with pure white ; tail, black, forked, and 
exteriorly edged with dull white ; belly and vent, 
brownish white ; bill, black above, yellow below ; legs, 
a brow nish clay colour ; feet, black. The female is 
about half an inch shorter ; the chestnut or bright bay 
on the wfings, back, and crowm, is less brilliant; and 
the white on the coverts narrower, and not so pure. 
These are all the differences I can perceive. 
169 . FRINGIELA MELODIA , WILSON. SONG SPARROW. 
WILSON, PLATE XVI. FIG. IV. 
So nearly do many species of our sparrows approximate 
to each other in plumage, and so imperfectly have they 
been taken notice of, that it is absolutely impossible to 
say, with certainty, whether the present species has 
ever been described or not. And yet, of all our 
sparrow s, this is the most numerous, the most generally 
diffused over the United States, and by far the earliest, 
sweetest, and most lasting songster. It may be said to 
be partially migratory, many passing to the south in 
the month of November ; and many of them still 
remaining w ith us, in low, close, sheltered meadow r s and 
sw r amps, during the whole of winter. It is the first 
