ked　eggs　in　a　nest　placed　in　a　bush　of　a　bushy　field。　Hence　John　Burroughs　has　called　the　bird　the　''bush　sparrow。〃
  FOX　SPARROW　（Passerella　ilica）　Finch　family
  Called　also：　FOX…COLORED　SPARROW；　FERRUGINOUS　FINCH；　FOXY　FINCH
  Length　　6。5　to　7。25　inches。　Nearly　an　inch　longer　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　reddish　brown；　varied　with　ash　　　gray；　brightest　on　lower　back；　wings；　and　tail。　Bluish　slate　　　about　the　head。　Underneath　whitish；　the　throat；　breast；　and　　　sides　heavily　marked　with　arrow…heads　and　oblong　dashes　of　　　reddish　brown　and　blackish。　Range　　Alaska　and　Manitoba　to　southern　United　States。　Winters　　　chiefly　south　of　Illinois　and　Virginia。　Occasional　stragglers　　　remain　north　most　of　the　winter。　Migrations　　March。　November。　Most　common　in　the　migrations。
  There　will　be　little　difficulty　in　naming　this　largest；　most　plump　and　reddish　of　all　the　sparrows；　whose　fox…colored　feathers；　rather　than　any　malicious　cunning　of　its　disposition；　are　responsible　for　the　name　it　bears。　The　male　bird　is　incomparably　the　finest　singer　of　its　gifted　family。　His　faint　tseep　call…note　gives　no　indication　of　his　vocal　powers　that　some　bleak　morning　in　early　March　suddenly　send　a　thrill　of　pleasure　through　you。　It　is　the　most　welcome　〃glad　surprise〃　of　all　the　spring。　Without　a　preliminary　twitter　or　throat…clearing　of　any　sort；　the　full；　rich；　luscious　tones；　with　just　a　tinge　of　plaintiveness　in　them；　are　poured　forth　with　spontaneous　abandon。　Such　a　song　at　such　a　time　is　enough　to　summon　anybody　with　a　musical　ear　out　of　doors　under　the　leaden　skies　to　where　the　delicious　notes　issue　from　the　leafless　shrubbery　by　the　roadside。　Watch　the　singer　until　the　song　ends；　when　he　will　quite　likely　descend　among　the　dead　leaves　on　the　ground　and　scratch　among　them　like　any　barn…yard　fowl；　but　somehow　contriving　to　use　both　feet　at　once　in　the　operation；　as　no　chicken　ever　could。　He　seems　to　take　special　delight　in　damp　thickets；　where　the　insects　with　which　he　varies　his　seed　diet　are　plentiful。
  Usually　the　fox　sparrows　keep　in　small；　loose　flocks；　apart　by　themselves；　for　they　are　not　truly　gregarious；　but　they　may　sometimes　be　seen　travelling　in　company　with　their　white…throated　cousins。　They　are　among　the　last　birds　to　leave　us　in　the　late　autumn　or　winter。　Mr。　Bicknell　says　that　they　seem　indisposed　to　sing　unless　present　in　numbers。　Indeed；　they　are　little　inclined　to　absolute　solitude　at　any　time；　for　even　in　the　nesting　season　quite　a　colony　of　grassy　nurseries　may　be　found　in　the　same　meadow；　and　small　companies　haunt　the　roadside　shrubbery　during　the　migrations。
  GRASSHOPPER　SPARROW　（Ammodramus　savannarum　passerinus）　Finch　　　family
  Called　also：　YELLOW…WINGED　SPARROW
  Length　　5　to　5。4　inches。　About　an　inch　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　A　cream…yellow　line　over　the　eye；　centre　of　　　crown；　shoulders；　and　lesser　wing　coverts　yellowish。　Head　　　blackish；　rust…colored　feathers；　with　small　black　spots　on　back　　　of　the　neck；　an　orange　mark　before　the　eye。　All　other　upper　　　parts　varied　red；　brown；　cream；　and　black；　with　a　drab　wash。　　　Underneath　brownish　drab　on　breast；　shading　to　soiled　white；　　　and　without　streaks。　Dusky；　even；　pointed　tail　feathers　have　　　grayish…white　outer　margins。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　British　provinces　to　Cuba。　　　Winters　south　of　the　Carolinas。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Common　summer　resident。
  It　is　safe　to　say　that　no　other　common　bird　is　so　frequently　overlooked　as　this　little　sparrow；　that　keeps　persistently　to　the　grass　and　low　bushes；　and　only　faintly　lifts　up　a　weak；　wiry　voice　that　is　usually　attributed　to　some　insect。　At　the　bend　of　the　wings　only　are　the　feathers　really　yellow；　and　even　this　bright　shade　often　goes　unnoticed　as　the　bird　runs　shyly　through　an　old　dairy　field　or　grassy　pasture。　You　may　all　but　step　upon　it　before　it　takes　wing　and　exhibits　itself　on　the　fence…rail；　which　is　usually　as　far　from　the　ground　as　it　cares　to　go。　If　you　are　near　enough　to　this　perch　you　may　overhear　the　zee…e…e…e…e…e…e…e　that　has　earned　it　the　name　of　grasshopper　sparrow。　If　you　persistently　follow　it　too　closely；　away　it　flies；　then　suddenly　drops　to　the　ground　where　a　scrubby　bush　affords　protection。　A　curious　fact　about　this　bird　is　that　after　you　have　once　become　acquainted　with　it；　you　find　that　instead　of　being　a　rare　discovery；　as　you　had　supposed；　it　is　apt　to　be　a　common　resident　of　almost　every　field　you　walk　through。
  SAVANNA　SPARROW　（Ammodramus　sandwichensis　savanna）　Finch　family
  Called　also：　SAVANNA　BUNTING
  Length　　5。5　to　6　inches。　A　trifle　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Cheeks；　space　over　the　eye；　and　on　the　bend　of　　　the　wings　pale　yellow。　General　effect　of　the　upper　parts　　　brownish　drab；　streaked　with　black。　Wings　and　tail　dusky；　the　　　outer　webs　of　the　feathers　margined　with　buff。　Under　parts　　　white；　heavily　streaked　with　blackish　and　rufous；　the　marks　on　　　breast　feathers　being　wedge…shaped。　In　the　autumn　the　plumage　　　is　often　suffused　with　a　yellow　tinge。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　Mexico。　　　Winters　south　of　Illinois　and　Virginia。　Migrations　　April。　October。　A　few　remain　in　sheltered　marshes　　　at　the　north　all　winter。
  Look　for　the　savanna　sparrow　in　salt　marshes；　marshy　or　upland　pastures；　never　far　inland；　and　if　you　see　a　sparrowy　bird；　unusually　white　and　heavily　streaked　beneath；　and　with　pale　yellow　markings　about　the　eye　and　on　the　bend　of　the　wing；　you　may　still　make　several　guesses　at　its　identity　before　the　weak；　little　insect…like　trill　finally　establishes　it。　Whoever　can　correctly　name　every　sparrow　and　warbler　on　sight　is　a　person　to　be　envied；　if；　indeed；　he　exists　at　all。
  In　the　lowlands　of　Nova　Scotia　and；　in　fact；　of　all　the　maritime　provinces；　this　sparrow　is　the　one　that　is　perhaps　most　commonly　seen。　Every　fence…rail　has　one　perched　upon　it；　singing　〃Ptsip；　ptsip；　ptsip；　ze…e…e…e…e〃　close　to　the　ear　of　the　passer…by；　who　otherwise　might　not　hear　the　low　grasshopper…like　song。　At　the　north　the　bird　somehow　loses　the　shyness　that　makes　it　comparatively　little　known　farther　south。　Depending　upon　the　scrub　and　grass　to　conceal　it；　you　may　almost　tread　upon　it　before　it　startles　you　by　its　sudden　rising　with　a　whirring　noise；　only　to　drop　to　the　ground　again　just　a　few　yards　farther　away；　where　it　scuds　among　the　underbrush　and　is　lost　to　sight　Tall　weeds　and　fence…rails　are　as　high　and　exposed　situations　as　it　is　likely　to　select　while　singing。　It　is　most　distinctively　a　ground　bird；　and　flat　upon　the　pasture　or　in　a　slightly　hollowed　cup　it　has　the　merest　apology　for　a　nest。　Only　a　few　wisps　of　grass　are　laid　in　the　cavity　to　receive　the　pale…green　eggs；　that　are　covered　most　curiously　with　blotches　of　brown　of　many　shapes　and　tints。
  SEASIDE　SPARROW　（Ammodramus　maritimus）　Finch　family
  Called　also：　MEADOW　CHIPPY；　SEASIDE　FINCH
  Length　　6　inches。　A　shade　smaller　than　the　English　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　dusky　grayish　or　olivaceous　brown；　　　inclining　to　gray　on　shoulders　and　on　edges　of　some　feathers。　　　Wings　and　tail　darkest。　Throat　yellowish　white；　shading　to　gray　　　on　breast；　which　is　indistinctly　mottled　and　streaked。　A　yellow　　　spot　before　the　eye　and　on　bend　of　the　wing；　the　bird's　　　characteristic　marks。　Blunt　tail。　Range　　Atlantic　seaboard；　from　Georgia　northward。　Usually　　　Winters　south　of　Virginia。　Migrations　　April。　November。　A　few　remain　in　sheltered　marshes　　　all　winter。
  The　savanna；　the　swamp；　the　sharp…tailed；　and　the　song　sparrows　may　all　sometimes　be　found　in　the　haunts　of　the　seaside　sparrow；　but　you　may　be　certain　of　finding　the　latter　nowhere　else　than　in　the　salt　marshes　within　sight　or　sound　of　the　sea。　It　is　a　dingy　little　bird；　with　the　least　definite　coloring　of　all　the　sparrows　that　have　maritime　inclinations；　with　no　rufous　tint　in　its　feathers；　and　less　distinct　streakings　on　the　breast　than　any　of　them。　It　has　no　black　markings　on　the　back。
  Good…sized　flocks　of　seaside　sparrows　live　together　in　the　marshes；　but　they　spend　so　much　of　their　time　on　the　ground；　running　about　among　the　reeds　and　grasses；　whose　seeds　and　insect　parasites　they　feed　upon；　that　not　until　some　unusual　disturbance　in　the　quiet　place　flushes　them　does　the　intruder　suspect　their　presence；　Hunters　after　beach…birds；　longshoremen；　seaside　cottagers；　and　whoever　follows　the　windings　of　a　creek　through　the　salt　meadows　to　catch　crabs　and　eels　in　midsummer；　are　well　acquainted　with　the　〃meadow　chippies；〃　as　the　fishermen　call　them。　They　keep　up　a　good　deal　of　chirping；　sparrow…fashion；　and　have　four　or　five　notes　resembling　a　song　that　is　usually　delivered　from　a　tall　reed　stalk；　where　the　bird　sways　and　balances　until　his　husky　performance　has　ended；　when　down　he　drops　upon　the　ground　out　of　sight。　Sometimes；　too；　these　notes　are　uttered　while　the　bird　flutters　in　the　air　above　the　tops　of　the　sedges。
  SHARP…TAILED　SPARROW　（Ammodramus　caudacutus）　Finch　family
  Length　　5。25　to　5。85　inches。　A　trifle　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　brownish　or　grayish　olive；　the　　　back　with　black　streaks；　and　gray　edges　to　some　feathers。　A　　　gray　line　through　centre　of　crown；　which　has　maroon　stripes；　　　g