124 
SHARP-TAILED FINCH. 
thus the localities are comparatively lonely and just suited for the home of some retiring 
species of bird. The Sharp-tailed Finches are aware of this fact for here they find excellent 
breeding grounds, as they are almost entirely free from invasion. The thick matting of 
dead grass is admirably adapted to nest building and their neat domiciles are almost al¬ 
ways placed in it, while the overhanging grass serves, to hide them. I know of but few 
birds which take so much pains to conceal their eggs as the Sharp-tailed Finches. They 
will frequently form a path for nearly a yard under the grass, by which they enter the 
nest that is placed in a thicket at the end. The female when setting is extremely difficult 
to start, and then I have ne'arly placed my foot on her before she would fly. As will 
readily be perceived by the foregoing description, the nests are not easy to discover, and 
it is only by carefully examining every foot of the ground that I ever found one. They 
breed in communites in the localites which I have described, and I have taken as many as 
eight nests from a space not larger than a half acre. 
The Sharp-tailed Finches breed late, from the last week in June to the middle of July, 
and the young accompany their parents in August. During nesting time the males utter 
what is certainly the faintest approach to a song that I ever heard any of the family at¬ 
tempt. This is given when the bird is hovering in air, a few feet over the surface of the 
ground, and is so low that I have listened in vain for any sound when the wind was blow¬ 
ing, even if the bird was only twenty yards distant. On sfill days, however, a sputtering 
husky warble may be distinguished which continues only for a moment when the would be 
musician drops as suddenly as if shot into the grass. At this season they spend the greater 
portion of their time in the low grass, only occasionally appearing for a moment on the top 
of some pile of debris, left by the high spring tides; but later they may be found in the 
tall sedge which grows along the creeks. Here they may be seen early in September in 
large flocks, when they have quite different habits than when nesting. At all times, how¬ 
ever, they run about on the mud in search of small shells or other aquatic animals left by 
the receding water, but when the tide is high they perch on the top of the grass, enjoy¬ 
ing the bright sunshine of those lovely autumnal days peculiar to the sea-coast of New 
England. 
All of the Fringilline birds are more or less agile, but none among them move more 
quickly on the ground than the members of this genus. The species under consideration 
is particularly noticeable in this respect as they are perfect acrobats when among the tall 
sedge, now clinging to a slender swaying top which will scarcely bear their weight, then 
hanging head downward in order to reach some insect, after which they will drop to the 
ground and make their way with surprising rapidity to some Other point. When surprised 
they will rise to a short distance above the grass, fly for a few yards, and then dart into a 
place of concealment. Then it is difficult to make them rise a second time, for they will 
run nimbly among the grass stems for a long distance. When wounded they are very 
difficult to capture, for if their legs be uninjured they will make good use of them and en¬ 
ter some hole and remain quiet, or will run through the grass until certain that a safe dis¬ 
tance intervenes between themselves and their pursuers. The Sharp-tailed Finches leave 
