318 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



580a. Peucsea ruficeps boucardi (SCL.) [2300.] 



Boucard's Sparrow. 



Hab. Mexico and Lower California north to Southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Western Texas. 



Mr. W. K. D. Scott found this species a resident in Southern Ari- 

 zona, up to an altitude of 4000 feet in winter and nearly 10000 feet 

 during the warmer months, but is much more common from the first 

 of February until the middle of October. He states that it does not 

 seek cover in the thick grass to the degree or in the manner so charac- 

 teristic of its congeners. A nest was found June 15, 1885, well up on 

 a hillside, at an altitude of 4500 feet, on the bare ground near a 

 tussock of grass. The nest was bulky for so small a bird, and loosely 

 put together. It is composed of coarse, dry grasses throughout and 

 there is no attempt at lining with finer material. Contained in this 

 nest were two young just hatched and one egg, apparently fresh, and 

 plain, dead white; size, .83X.62. Three partly incubated eggs taken 

 July 27 from a similar nest, measure . Sox. 58, .82x.6o, .86x.6i. A third 

 nest found by Mr. Scott late in July contained the same number of 

 eggs, which were almost fresh. 



580. Peucaea ruflceps eremoeca BROWN. 



Rock Sparrow. 



Hab. Eastern Mexico, north to Central Texas. 



Mr. Nathan Clifford Brown described this sub-species from speci- 

 mens taken by him at Boerne, Texas, in iSyg-'So. He states that he 

 always found the bird in rocky localities, usually in close proximity to 

 a creek, but occasionally on barren hills a mile or more from water. It 

 has the same shy, skulking habits which are common to other species 

 of the genus, rarely taking wing on the approach of an intruder so 

 long as rock, bush or weed affords a hiding place.* 



Two sets of the eggs of this bird are in Mr. Norris' collection. 

 One was collected June 19, 1884, in Comal county, Texas, the nest 

 being on the ground in a bunch of grass; sizes, .81 x .61, .85 x .62, .81 

 x .62, .83 x .62. The other set was collected April 4, 1882, in the same 

 region, and the nest was likewise on the ground in a bunch of grass. 

 These eggs measure, .82 x .64, .78 x .64, .73 x .63, .78 x .64. The eggs 

 in both sets are plain bluish- white. 



581. Melospiza fasciata (GMEL.) [231.] 



Song Sparrow. 



Hab. Eastern United States and British Provinces, west to the Plains; breeding chiefly north of 40, 

 except east of the Alleghanies. 



The Song Sparrow in its diverse geographical forms varying in 

 size, color, and in the relative size of the bill, etc., inhabits the greater 



* Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, VII, pp. 38-39. 



