. Bulletin - Biological Survey. Zoology, Economic. 82 THE RELATION OF SPARROWS TO AGRICULTURE. sedge, sheathed rush-grass, pigeon-grass, crab-grass, and other pani- cnms, paspalum, and a small quantity of grain; the second com- prises ragweed and polj^gonums; and the third includes the seeds of various plants the majority of which are such weeds as amaranth, lamh's-quarters, chickweed, purslane, tick-trefoil, vetch, gromwell, wood sorrel, sedge, sheep-sorrel, wild sunflower, and Russian this- tle. The seeds of amaranth and lamb's-quarters are by far the most important in the diet. Few other sp
. Bulletin - Biological Survey. Zoology, Economic. 82 THE RELATION OF SPARROWS TO AGRICULTURE. sedge, sheathed rush-grass, pigeon-grass, crab-grass, and other pani- cnms, paspalum, and a small quantity of grain; the second com- prises ragweed and polj^gonums; and the third includes the seeds of various plants the majority of which are such weeds as amaranth, lamh's-quarters, chickweed, purslane, tick-trefoil, vetch, gromwell, wood sorrel, sedge, sheep-sorrel, wild sunflower, and Russian this- tle. The seeds of amaranth and lamb's-quarters are by far the most important in the diet. Few other sparrows eat as many of these seeds as the junco, which feeds on them chiefly in March when, doubtless, other and more palatable seeds are too scarce to be easily obtained. The effect of the junco during its stay on agricultural land is that of an unmixed beneflt, because the good done by its extensive con- sumption of weed seeds is not counterbalanced by any real harm; even the slight tendencj^ toward grain eating is practically harmless, since most of the grain eaten consists of waste kernels. SONG SPARROW. {3Mos2nza melodia and subspecies.) The song sparroAv (see fig. 17), unlike the junco, occupies agricultu- ral areas in summer. It breeds throughout the United States, includ- ing Alaska south of Unalaska, and is found also in Can- ada and Mexico. In winter there is a shifting southward, but the species is still to be found in most of the States except the northern tier. The bird honestly merits its title of song sparrow, for its bright, canary- like laj^ is one of the most attractive voices of the spring, and is familiar to manj^ that do not know the identity of its author. In habitat it differs slightly from both field and chipping sparrows: it is not so often met with in the open country as the one, or in the orchard as the other, but is most likely to be found inhabiting bushes along water courses. Sometimes, however, it frequents the shrubbery near buildings, in which ca
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