e salt marshes of the coast,
nesting in the marsh grass. I have nearly always found their nests
attached to the coarse marsh grass a few inches above water at high
tide, and generally under a piece of drifted seaweed. The nests are made
of grasses, and the four or five eggs are whitish, thickly specked with
reddish brown. Size .75 x .55. The birds are hard to flush and then fly
but a few feet and quickly drop into the grass again.

[Illustration 342: White.]
[Illustration: Henslow's Sparrow. Leconte's Sparrow.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: Sharp-tailed Sparrow.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 341

549.1. Nelson's Sparrow. _Passerherbulus nelsoni nelsoni._

Range.--Breeds in the fresh water marshes of the Mississippi valley from
Illinois to Manitoba.

This species is similar to the Sharp-tailed Finch but more buffy on the
breast and generally without streaks. The nesting habits are the same
and the eggs indistinguishable.

549.1a. ACADIAN SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. _Passerherbulus nelsoni
subvirgatus._

Range.--Breeds in the marshes on the coast of New England and New
Brunswick; winters south to the South Atlantic States.

This paler variety of Nelson's Sparrow nests like the Sharp-tailed
species and the eggs are the same as those of that bird.

550. SEASIDE SPARROW. _Passerherbulus maritimus maritimus._

Range.--Atlantic coast, breeding from southern New England to Carolina
and wintering farther south.

This sharp-tailed Finch is uniform grayish above and light streaked with
dusky, below. They are very abundant in the breeding range, where they
nest in marshes in company with caudacutus. Their nests are the same as
those of that species and the eggs similar but slightly larger. Size .80
x .60. Data.--Smith Island, Va., May 20, 1900. Nest situated in tall
grass near shore; made of dried grass and seaweed. Collector, H. W.
Bailey.

All the members of this genus have a habit of fluttering out over the
water, and then gliding back to their perch on the grass, on set wings,
meanwhile uttering a strange rasping song. The nesting habits and eggs
of all the subspecies are precisely like those of this variety, and they
all occasionally arch their nests over, leaving an entrance on the side.

550a. SCOTT'S SEASIDE SPARROW. _Passerherbulus maritimus peninsuloe._

Range.--Coasts of Florida and north to South Carolina. Above blackish
streaked with brownish gray; below hea