Washington, P.R., very common T.V., less so in summer and winter. Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Apl. 2-Nov. 4. Cambridge, common S.R., Apl. 5-Oct. 25. N. Ohio, abundant S.R., Mch. 20-Nov. 7. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., Mch. 21-Oct. 25. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 1-Oct. 29.
A Sparrow of broad fields and plains whose song voices the spirit of open places. Neither words nor musical notation can describe it recognizably. It has somewhat the form of the Song Sparrow's song, just as the two birds resemble each other in form but are unlike in detail. One must, therefore, first learn to know the bird—an easy matter, since it is common and can be readily identified by its white outer tail-feathers—and thereafter you will be the richer for a knowledge of this rarely appealing bit of bird music.
The nest, as one might suppose, is built on the ground, and the 4-5 whitish spotted eggs are laid early in May.
IPSWICH SPARROW
Passerculus princeps
With a general resemblance to the Savannah Sparrow ([Case 5]. Fig. 23) but larger, L. 6¼, and decidedly paler.
Range. Nests on Sable Island off Nova Scotia; winters south, along the coast, regularly to New Jersey; rarely to Georgia.
Cambridge, casual, two instances, Oct.
Few migratory birds have a more restricted breeding range than the Ipswich Sparrow. Confined to a sandbar island during the summer where it is never out of sight or sound of the sea, it seeks similar haunts during the winter when it is rarely found far from the immediate vicinity of the ocean. In general habits and nesting, it resembles the Savannah Sparrow, of which indeed, it is doubtless an island representative.
SAVANNAH SPARROW
Passerculus sandwichensis savanna. [Case 4], Fig. 47; [Case 5], Fig. 23
In general color slightly paler than the Vesper Sparrow; smaller than that species; no white tail-feathers; a touch of yellow before the eye and on the bend of the wing. L. 5¾.