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Bachman's Sparrow
Adult--Upper parts rufous with dark streaks; lower parts light brownish buff; warm gray or buff line over eye; yellow at bend of wing; the tail has the outer feathers the shortest. Length--5.75.
Breeding Range--The Southern States, from Kentucky and North Carolina, and southern Illinois, southward.
The nests in all probability are invariably arched or roofed, with the opening well hidden on the side; grass alone is used in their construction, with the grass tops for lining. The eggs are white, 3 to 4 in number. Size--.75 x .60.
This sparrow resembles closely the pine-woods sparrow, but it has no spots on the under parts, and few, sometimes none at all, on the back. Its habits are terrestrial.
The places chosen for nesting are the pine or oak woods, or scrubby open ground, seldom far from trees. The nests are very difficult to find, owing not only to the fact that they are carefully covered, but the bird, instead of flying up directly from the nest, runs along the ground for some distance before taking flight. From April to July nests may be found.