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 peninsulœ._ Range.--Coasts of Florida and north to South Carolina. Above blackish streaked with brownish gray; below heavily streaked with black. 550b. TEXAS SEASIDE SPARROW. _Passerherbulus maritimus sennetti._ Range.--Coast of Texas. Similar to maritimus, but streaked above. 550c. LOUISIANA SEASIDE SPARROW. _Passerherbulus maritimus fisheri._ Range.--Gulf coast. This form is similar to peninsulœ, but darker and more brownish. [Illustration 343: Seaside Sparrow. Dusky Seaside Sparrow.] [Illustration: White.] [Illustration: right hand margin.] Page 342 550d. MACGILLIVRAY'S SEASIDE SPARROW. _Passerherbulus maritimus macgillivrai._ Range.--Coast of South Carolina. Like fisheri but grayer. 551. DUSKY SEASIDE SPARROW. _Passerherbulus nigrescens._ Range.--Marshes of Indian River near Titusville, Florida. This species is the darkest of the genus, both above and below, being nearly black on the upperparts. Their habits are like those of the others and the eggs are not likely to differ. 552. LARK SPARROW. _Chondestes grammacus grammacus._ Range.--Mississippi Valley from the Plains to Illinois and casually farther east, and from Manitoba to Texas; winters in Mexico. This handsome Sparrow has the sides of the crown and ear patches chestnut, and the sides of the throat and a spot on the breast, black. They are sweet singers and very welcome birds in their range, where they are quite abundant. Their nests are generally placed on the ground in the midst of or under a clump of weeds or tuft of grass, but sometimes in bushes or even trees; they are made of grasses and weeds and the eggs, which are usually laid in May, are white marked chiefly about the large end with blackish zigzag lines and spots. Size .80 × .60. 552a. WESTERN LARK SPARROW. _Chondestes grammacus strigatus._ Range.--United States west of the Plains; breeds from British Columbia to Mexico.