302 FIN CHES, SPARROWS, ETC.

is little of the Chippy’s nature about them. In February or March they begin to sing a song which has been compared to that of a Ca- nary, but is “finer, sweeter, and not so loud.”

530. Spizella. socialis ( Wile). CHIPPING SPARROW; CHIPPY. Ad. —-Forehead black, a short grayish line in its middle; top of the head ruf'ous; the nape generally with a few black streaks: a grayish line over the eye and a black line behind it; back of the neck grayish, separating the rut'ous crown from the back; back streaked with black, n . . . . little rufous, and more pale butl'y oehraeeous; rump ’1 'l - slaty gray ,' wing—bars not conspicuous; under parts

%/ grayish white, whiter on the throat and belly; bill

Fm. 86.——Chipping Spar— entirely black. Im.—Similar, but no rufous crown-

row. (Natural size.) cap or black on the forehead ; top of the head

streaked like the back; bill brownish. Young in

first plumage have the breast streaked with black. L., 5'37; W., 2'74; T., 2-29; B., ~36.

Remarka—In adults the rufous crown, black forehead, gray rump, and black bill are characteristic; in the young the gray rump is a good distin- guishing mark.

Range—Eastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to New- foundland and Great Slave Lake; winters in the Gulf States and Mexico.

Washington, common S. R., abundant T. V., Mch. 15 to Nov. 1, occasion- ally winters. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 9 to Nov. 7. Cambridge, abun—

dant S. R., Apl. 15 to Oct. 25.

Nest, of grasses. fine twigs, or rootlets, thickly lined with long hairs, in trees or bushes, five to twenty feet up. Eggs, four to five, blue or greenish blue, with cinnamon—brown or blackish markings, chiefly at the larger end,

'72 x ‘51.

The Chippy is among Sparrows What the Phoebe is among Fly- catchers—the humblest, most unassuming member of its family. Both show trustfulness, which, in spite of their unattractive appearance and far from pleasing voices, wins our affection.

Chippy makes his nest in the vines on our piazza, and feeds on the crumbs at our doorstep, quite as though he were a member of the family; and he needs only a little encouragement to give evidence of , his entire confidence in our good will by feeding from our hands.

His song is a monotonous chippy-ehtppy-chippy-chippy, rather high and wiry and frequently running into an insectlike trill—by no means a. musical performance.

In the fall Chippy changes his dress, dons a streaked cap for the one of bright bay, and, with others of his kind. goes to the fields to feast on the year’s harvest of seeds. He is generally found near trees and hedgerows, into which, when alarmed, he flies with his com- panions.