CHIPPING SPARROW. 
255 
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, 
centred with black, and running in chains ; belly, 
white ; vent, yellow ochre, streaked with brown ; back, 
streaked with black, hay, and pale ochre; tail, brown, 
rounded at the end, the two middle feathers streaked 
down their centres with black ; legs, flesh coloured ; 
wing-coverts, black, broadly edged with bay, and tipt 
with yellowish white ; wings, dark brown. The female 
is scarcely distinguishable by its plumage from the 
male. The bill in both, horn coloured. 
170 .. FRING1LLA SOCIAL IS, WILSON. — CHIPPING SPARROW. 
WILSON, PLATE XYI. FIG. Y. 
This species, though destitute of the musical talents 
of the former, is, perhaps, more generally known, 
because more familiar, and even domestic. He inhabits, 
during summer, the city, in common with man, building 
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 a 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. Towards 
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 colour, 
with a few dots of purplish black near the great end. 
This species may easily be distinguished from the 
four preceding ones, by his black bill and frontlet, and 
by his familiarity in summer; yet in the month of 
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