Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/481

SPARROW. 415 SPARTA. which the vesper-sparrow {PooccEtes grumineiis) , the savannah sparrows of the genus Ammodra- nnis (which also includes the sharp-tailed and seaside sparrows), the crowned sparrows of the genus Zonotrichia, the wood-sparrows or sum- mer finches of the genus Peucoea, and the large fox-sparrow (q.v. ) are especially worthy of men- tion, while the sage-sparrows (Amphispiza) and the lark-sparrows {('hoiulcstes (friiiiimucus) are characteristic 'estern forms. The former group includes the black-throated sparrow {Amphispiza bilincuta) .found on the Western plains. The vesper- sparrow is often called grass-finch or bay-winged bunting, 1)ut its more common name has reference to its fondness for singing late in the afternoon. It is essentially a ground-loving species, feeding and nesting only on the ground. The outer tail- feathers of each side are white and are exposed by tlie bird when it flies. Ammodramus in- cludes upward of a dozen species, widely dis- tributed, but popularly little known, on account of their retiring habits. They are chiefly shy, elusive little birds of fresh and salt marshes. The crown-sparrows are large, handsome birds, of which the common white-throated Peabody-bird {Zonotrichia albicolUs) is the best known. The conspicuous black and white and sometimes golden-yellow markings on the head make the crown-sparrows conspicuous among their more plainly colored relatives. The wood-sparrows are a group of Southwestern and Mexican species of medium or rather small size, with short rounded wings, one species of which, known as Bachman's finch or the pine-woods sparrow (Peucea wsti- Vdlis), occurs in the South Atlantic States, espe- cially Florida, and is noted as a very superior songster ; a variety of this species, the oak-woods or Bachman's sparrow, is found in the Missis- sippi Valley as far north as Illinois. The lark- sparrow is notable for the fact that, unlike other sparrows, the se.xes are very unlike in color; while the female is streaked grayish brown, the male is black with a large white patch on the wings. This is a prairie species abundant on the central plains, ranging eastward to Illinois, and occasionally, as a straggler, to the Atlantic Coast. Consult Ridgway, Birds of North and Middle America, part i. (Washington, 1901), and authorities there cited. See Plate of Familiab Sparrows; and Colored Plate of Eggs of Song- birds. SPARROW-HAWK. Any of several distinct species of small hawks, whose prey consists chiefly of sparrows and other small birds, insects, and mice. In America the name is uni- versally given to Falco sparverius, a handsome little falcon less than a foot long. It is very courageous and very active, and lives largely on mice and insects. It is rufous above, barred with black; most of the head is slaty blue, and underneath it is huffy. It breeds from Florida to Hudson Bay, and winters from New Jer- sey southward, and is everywhere one of the commonest species of hawk. It nests in a hole in a tree and lays from three to seven creamy or reddish eggs, finely marked with darker tints. The Old World sparrow-hawk {Accipiter nisus) is very similar, and has often been trained for the purposes of falconry, to take land-rails, partridges, and similar game. See Falcon; Fal- conry ; and Plate of Eagles and Hawks. SPAR'TA (Lat., from Gk. ^wiprri, SpartS, Doric S7rd/3To, Sparta), also LACEn.iiMON. The capital of Laconia, and tlie most famous city of the Peloponnesus. It occupied partly a group of low hills on the right bank of the Eurotas, and partly the intervening plain. Its appearance in its palmiest days was b.y no means equal to its renown, for it was little better than a group of five villages, with plain and even mean private houses, though there were a few notable public buildings, such as the shrine of Athena or the Bronze House, whose walls seem to have been lined with bronze, probably decorated with re- liefs. The passes which lead into the valley of the Eurotas are .so easily defensible, and the distance from the sea is so great, that Sparta continued without walls down to the end of the fourtli century d.c, and, indeed, was not regularly fortified till the time of the tyrant Nabis (B.C. 195). The five districts or villages, Cynosura, Limn*, Mesoa, Pitane. and Dyme. were united in the worship of Artemis Orthia and Athena, and had a common agora, or market- place, on which stood the public buildings — the senate-house, and the offices oif the ephors and other magistrates. Famous public places were the Chores, where the youths danced in honor of Apollo; the Dromos, or race-course, where the gymnastic ex- ercises took place, and where were also temples of the Dioscuri and other gods: and the Platanistas, a broad level space, shaded by plane-trees, and reached by two bridges where the Spartan youth, divided into two bands, met in strenuous personal conflict. Probably the so-called Acropo- lis, which was crowded with temples, was situated on the hill to the northwest, on w-hose southern side the theatre can still be traced. Not far from here excavations conducted by the American School at Athens in 1892 and" 1893 brought to light the foundations of a circular building, which had contained a colossal statue, and may have been identical with one mentioned by Paii- sanias as containing statues of Zeus and Aphro- dite, said to be a foundation of Epimenides of Crete. After the Dorian conquest of Laconia the su- preme power always remained in the hands of the pure-blooded Dorian families of Sparta. The farmer population and the lesser Dorian towns seem to have been reduced to Periceci (q.v.), or to Helots (q.v.). Their situation, amid a subject population largely in excess of their ovra num- bers, practically forced upon the Spartans a strict military discipline, and this formed the basis of their whole system. Sparta was little else than a permanent camp. At the birth of a child, the elders decided whether it was strong enough to be reared. A weakling was exposed on Mount Tay- getus. After the seventh year the Ixjys entered on a course of severe training, designed to de- velop physical strength and courage, as well as the uncomplaining endurance of hardship and cunning such as might serve the soldier. IMusie and the dance were added, and perhaps the ele- ments of letters. Girls, too, passed through a training in gymnastics and the dance, that they might be fit consorts and bearers of strong chil- dren. Sentiment played but little part in the Spartan system, and the function of marriage was only the perpetuation of the State. At the age of twenty the young Spartan was liable to active service, was admitted to the public meals,