VESPER SPARROW, GRASS FINCH, or BAYWINGED BUNTING, a well-known and abundant bird (Poocales gratnineus), of the family Fringillidce, found throughout the eastern United States and Canada, and rep resented in other parts of temperate North An/erica by distinct sub-species. It is about six inches long and may be recognized by its streaked plumage, the bay or chestnut wing patch and the white outer tail-feathers which are conspicuously shown during flight. The three common name.s of this bird show the interchangeability in ordinary usage of the appellations applied to the species of Frin gillidce and illustrate three peculiarities of this bird: the first, its habit of singing at sun down; second, its abundance in grassy fields, and the third, the rather characteristic wing markings. No bird is more familiar to the stroller along country roads and byways in the New England and Middle States than the grass finch. It spends much of its time on the ground, but often perches on fences, telegraph wires and trees. Except during the breeding season it is gregarious and consorts with other ground-lov ing. sparrows, like which it feeds upon seeds,
grains and insects for which it often searches by the roadside. When approached, the grass finch runs rapidly and seldom flies more than a few yards before alighting. It is a bold and confiding bird. Its migrations are not extensive and it leaves late, returns early, and in open seasons a fevr inay even remain throughout the winter in the Middle States. From the latitude of Virginia and Missouri northward is its breed ing ground. The nest is placed on or near the ground and is a bulky structure of weed stems, leaves and grasses, with a lining of fine grasses or hairs. The eggs are usually four or five, dull white, variously tinted and blotched at the larger end, especially with lilac and brown. Two or even three broods may be raised. As mentioned above the soft and sweet, but clear song is heard most frequently toward evening, but is by no means confirted to that time. Consult Wil son, (American Ornithology.)