Range. Nests from Long Island and northern Iowa to Canada; winters from southern New Jersey and southern Indiana southward to Mexico.
Washington, abundant T.V., Mch. 20-May 11; Sept. 21-Oct. 23; a few winter. Ossining, common T.V., Apl. 3-May 13; Aug. 28-Oct. 28. Cambridge, abundant T.V., Apl., Oct.; breeds sparingly. N. Ohio, not common T.V., Mch. 20-May 12. Glen Ellyn, fairly plentiful S.R., Apl. 8-Oct. 20. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 17-Oct. 23.
An abundant Sparrow known only to bird students. It prefers fields to door-yards; lives much on the ground, and its darting flight, followed by a sudden dive to cover, and insignificant song all combine to make it rather difficult of identification. It nests in May, laying 4-5 white, speckled eggs in a nest on the ground.
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Ammodramus savannarum australis. [Case 7], Fig. 16
A small, short-tailed Sparrow, without streaks on the underparts and a back pattern which suggests 'feather scales.' L. 5½.
Range. Eastern United States, nesting as far north as southern Minnesota, and southern New Hampshire; winters from southern Illinois and North Carolina to the tropics. The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow (A. s. floridanus) a smaller, darker race, is resident in the Kissimmee prairies of south central Florida.
Washington, very common S.R., Apl. 17-Nov. 20. Ossining common S.R., Apl. 27-Oct. 23. Cambridge, rare S.R., May 16-Sept. 1. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Sept. 20. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., May 4-Sept. 13. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 25-Sept. 6.
Grasshopper, he is called, because his unmusical little song, pit-túck, zee-e-e-e-e, sung from a low perch, resembles the sound produced by that insect. He is a common inhabitant of old fields, where sorrel and daisies grow, and when flushed at one's feet darts away to drop suddenly to the ground beyond. The 4-5, white, spotted eggs are laid in a ground nest in late May or early June.
HENSLOW'S SPARROW
Passerherbulus henslowi henslowi. [Case 7], Fig. 17