er。） 〃It builds its nest in the tussocks on the bank of a ditch； or in the drift left by the tide； rather than in the grassier sites chosen by its neighbors； the seaside sparrows。〃
Only rarely does one get a glimpse of this shy little bird； that darts out of sight like a flash at the first approach。 Balancing on a cat…tail stalk or perched upon a bit of driftwood； it makes a feeble； husky attempt to sing a few notes； and during the brief performance the opera…glasses may search it out successfully。 While it feeds upon the bits of sea…food washed ashore to the edge of the marshes； it gives us perhaps the best chance we ever get； outside of a museum； to study the bird's characteristics of plumage。
〃Both the sharp…tailed and the seaside finches are crepuscular；〃 says Dr。 Abbott； in 〃The Birds About Us。〃 They run up and down the reeds and on the water's edge long after most birds have gone to sleep。
SONG SPARROW （Melospiza fasciata） Finch family
Length 6 to 6。5 inches。 About the same size as the English sparrow。 Male and Female Brown head； with three longitudinal gray bands Brown stripe on sides of throat。 Brownish…gray back streaked With rufous。 Underneath gray； shading to white； heavily streaked with darkest brown。 A black spot on breast。 Wings without bars。 Tail plain grayish brown。 Range North America； from Fur Countries to the Gulf States。 Winters from southern Illinois and Massachusetts to the Gulf。 Migrations March。 November。 A few birds remain at the north All the year。
Here is a veritable bird neighbor； if ever there was one； at home in our gardens and hedges； not often farther away than the roadside； abundant everywhere during nearly every month in the year； and yet was there ever one too many？ There is scarcely an hour in the day； too； when its delicious； ecstatic song may not be heard； in the darkness of midnight； just before dawn； when its voice is almost the first to respond to the chipping sparrow's wiry trill and the robin's warble； in the cool of the morning； the heat of noon； the hush of evening ever the simple； homely； sweet melody that every good American has learned to love in childhood。 What the bird lacks in beauty it abundantly makes up in good cheer。 Not at all retiring； though never bold； it chooses some conspicuous perch on a bush or tree to deliver its outburst of song； and sings away with serene unconsciousness。 Its artlessness is charming。 Thoreau writes in his 〃Summer〃 that the country girls in Massachusetts hear the bird say： 〃Maids； maids； maids； hang on your teakettle； teakettle…ettle…ettle。〃 The call…note； a metallic chip； is equally characteristic of the bird's irrepressible vivacity。 It has still another musical expression； however； a song more prolonged and varied than its usual performance； that it seems to sing only on the wing。
Of course； the song sparrow must sometimes fly upward； but whoever sees it fly anywhere but downward into the thicket that it depends upon to conceal it from too close inspection？ By pumping its tail as it flies； it seems to acquire more than the ordinary sparrow's velocity。
Its nest； which is likely to be laid flat on the ground； except where field…mice are plentiful （in which case it is elevated into the crotch of a bush）； is made of grass； strips of bark； and leaves； and lined with finer grasses and hair。 Sometimes three broods may be reared in a season； but even the cares of providing insects and seeds enough for so many hungry babies cannot altogether suppress the cheerful singer。 The eggs are grayish white； speckled and clouded with lavender and various shades of brown。
In sparsely settled regions the song sparrows seem to show a fondness for moist woodland thickets； possibly because their tastes are insectivorous。 But it is difficult to imagine the friendly little musician anything but a neighbor。
SWAMP SONG SPARROW （Melospiza georgiana） Finch family
Called also： SWAMP SPARROW ＇AOU 1998＇； MARSH SPARROW； RED GRASS…BIRD； SWAMP FINCH
Length 5 to 5。8 inches。 A little smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Forehead black； crown； which in winter has black stripes； is always bright bay； line over the eye； sides of the neck gray。 Back brown； striped with various shades。 Wing。 edges and tail reddish brown。 Mottled gray underneath inclining to white on the chin。 Female Without black forehead and stripes on head。 Range North America； from Texas to Labrador。 Migrations April。 October。 A few winter at the north。
In just such impenetrable retreats as the marsh wrens choose； another wee brown bird may sometimes be seen springing up from among the sedges； singing a few sweet notes as it flies and floats above them； and then suddenly disappearing into the grassy tangle。 It is too small； and its breast is not streaked enough to be a song sparrow； neither are their songs alike； it has not the wren's peculiarities of bill and tail； Its bright…bay crown and sparrowy markings finally identify it。 A suggestion of the bird's watery home shows itself in the liquid quality of its simple； sweet note； stronger and sweeter than the chippy's； and repeated many times almost like a trill that seems to trickle from the marsh in a little rivulet of song。 The sweetness is apt to become monotonous to all but the bird itself； that takes evident delight in its performance。 In the spring； when flocks of swamp sparrows come north； how they enliven the marshes and waste places。 And yet the song； simple as it is； is evidently not uttered altogether without effort； if the tail…spreading and teetering of the body after the manner of the ovenbird； are any indications of exertion。
Nuttall says of these birds： 〃They thread their devious way with the same alacrity as the rail； with whom； indeed； they are often associated in neighborhood。 In consequence of this perpetual brushing through sedge and bushes； their feathers are frequently so worn that their tails appear almost like those of rats。〃
But the swamp sparrows frequently belie their name； and； especially in the South； live in dry fields； worn…out pasture lands with scrubby； weedy patches in them。 They live upon seeds of grasses and berries； but Dr。 Abbott has detected their special fondness for fish not fresh fish particularly； but rather such as have lain in the sun for a few days and become dry as a chip。 Their nest is placed on the ground； sometimes in a tussock of grass or roots of an upturned tree quite surrounded by water。 Four or five soiled white eggs with reddish…brown spots are laid usually twice in 2 season。
TREE SPARROW （Spizella monticola） Finch family
Called also： CANADA SPARROW； WINTER CHIPPY； TREE BUNTING； WINTER CHIP…BIRD； ARCTIC CHIPPER
Length 6 to 6。35 inches。 About the same size as the English sparrow。 Male Crown of head bright chestnut。 Line over the eye； cheeks； throat； and breast gray； the breast with an indistinct black spot on centre。 Brown back； the feathers edged with black and buff。 Lower back pale grayish brown。 Two whitish bars across dusky wings； tail feathers bordered with grayish white。 Underneath whitish。 Female Smaller and less distinctly marked。 Range North America； from Hudson Bay to the Carolinas； and westward to the plains。 Migrations October。 April。 Winter resident。
A revised and enlarged edition of the friendly little chipping sparrow； that hops to our very doors for crumbs throughout the mild weather； comes out of British America at the beginning of winter to dissipate much of the winter's dreariness by his cheerful twitterings。 Why he should have been called a tree sparrow is a mystery； unless because he does not frequent trees a reason with sufficient plausibility to commend the name to several of the early ornithologists； who not infrequently called a bird precisely what it was not。 The tree sparrow actually does not show half the preference for trees that its familiar little counterpart does； but rather keeps to low bushes when not on the ground； where we usually find it。 It does not crouch upon the ground like the chippy； but with a lordly carriage holds itself erect as it nimbly runs over the frozen crust。 Sheltered from the high； wintry winds in the furrows and dry ditches of ploughed fields； a loose flock of these active birds keep up a merry hunt for fallen seeds and berries； with a belated beetle to give the grain a relish。 As you approach the feeding ground； one bird gives a shrill alarm…cry； and instantly five times as many birds as you suspected were in the field take wing and settle down in the scrubby undergrowth at the edge of the woods or by the wayside。 No still cold seems too keen for them to go a…foraging； but when cutting winds blow through the leafless thickets the scattered remnants of a flock seek the shelter of stone walls； hedges； barns； and cozy nooks about the house and garden。 It is in mid…winter that these birds grow most neighborly； although even then they are distinctly less sociable than their small chippy cousins。
By the first of March； when the fox sparrow and the bluebird attract the lion's share of attention by their superior voices； we not infrequently are deaf to the modest； sweet little strain that answers for the tree sparrow's love…song。 Soon after the bird is in full voice； away it goes with its flock to their nesting ground in Labrador or the Hudson Bay region。 It builds； either on the ground or not far from it； a nest of grasses； rootlets； and hair； without which no true chippy counts its home complete。
VESPER SPARROW （Poocaetes gramineus） Finch family
Called also： BAY…WINGED BUNTING； GRASSFINCH； GRASSBIRD
Length 5。75 to 6。25 inches。 A little smaller than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Brown above； streaked and varied with gray。 Lesser wing coverts bright rufous。 Throat and breast whitish； striped with dark brown。 Underneath plain soiled white。 Outer tail…quills； which are its special mark of identification； are partly white； but apparently wholly white a。s the bird flies。 Range North America； especially common in eastern parts from Hudson Bay to Gulf of Mexico。 Winters south of Virginia。 Migrations April。 October。 Common summer resident。
Among the least conspicuous birds； sparrows are the easiest to classify for that very r