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Range (Breeds in the marshes)

Breeds in the marshes of the interior from northern Illinois northward to Dakota and Manitoba; occurs as a migrant on the Atlantic coast, and winters from South Carolina to Texas.

Washington, rare T. V., two instances, Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., Sept. 28 to Oct. 17. This interior representative of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow occurs on our coasts only as a migrant and winter visitant. It associates with the Sharp-tailed and Acadian Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 549b. A. c. subvirgatus Dwight. ACADIAN SHARP-TAILED SPAR- ROW.-Similar to A. caudacutus, but with the throat, breast, and sides washed with cream-buff and indistinctly streaked with ashy. "L., 5.55; W., 2.30; Τ., 2.00; Β., 46" (Dwight).

Range." Marshes of southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. and probably Nova Scotia, and southward in migration along the Atlantic coast" (Dwight).

Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept. 29 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, very common T. V., May; Sept. and Oct.

Since this race was separated by me in 1887 few new facts have been developed regarding it, except that, as I anticipated, it has been found in other parts of the Maritime Provinces, and never far from salt water. While frequenting brackish or fresh-water marshes, where the grasses grow more luxuriantly than in the haunts of its southern relative, it prefers the more open spots or those where damp ditches make highways of escape for it afoot. It is locally abundant, particularly in the great marshes that border the Bay of Fundy, but so retiring that, save for its little song, its presence might be easily overlooked. Swaying on a tall stalk of meadow rue or squatting on a convenient fence, the males may be found at all hours of the day repeating their song a few times and then flying to some new perch or burying themselves in the grass. Occasionally toward nightfall one will mount into the air and with set wings float down, fairly gushing with song, a habit shared by the ordinary Sharp-tail and by the Seaside Sparrow as well. With these birds they associate in autumn, and may be flushed one or two at a time from the strips of grass or reeds that are left on the salt marshes along the ditches after the hay has been cut. The song is a husky, gasping effort, not very loud, and executed with a nod of the head. It is sung in less than a second, and resembles ksh-sh-sh-ōōlp, the last syllable occupying one fifth of the time and rather musical compared with the harsh lisp that precedes it. They also have a tchép of alarm, but it is the exception for them to show much anxiety about their nests or young. The nest has never been taken.

J. DWIGHT, JR. 550. Ammodramus maritimus (Wils.). SEASIDE SPARROW. Ad. -A yellow line before the eye and on the bend of the wing; upper parts grayish olive-green; tail grayish brown, the outer webs of the feathers margined with olive-greenish; a dusky line from the base of the lower mandible passes down the sides of the throat; breast more or less suffused with buffy (wanting in summer specimens), and indistinctly streaked with grayish; throat and middle of the belly white; sides grayish. L., 6.00; W., 2.50; T., FIG. 84. -Seaside Sparrow. (Natural 2-20; B., 60. size.)