NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 305 







"(Identification somewhat doubtful), .87X.68, buffy whitish, thickly 

 speckled with burnt-umber, slightly mixed with purplish-gray."* 



554. Zonotrichia leucophrys (FORST.) [206.] 



White-crowned Sparrow. 



Hab. North America at large; breeds northward; south in winter, to the Southern United States, and 

 south to Mexico. 



This is probably the most beautiful of our Sparrows. It win- 

 ters in the Gulf States and southward, migrating northward in spring 

 to its breeding grounds, which are in the higher mountain ranges of 

 Western United States Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, and east- 

 ward north of the Great Lakes, to Newfoundland and Labrador. In 

 Colorado this species nests in June and July, often raising two broods 

 in a season. The bird is chiefly a ground builder but nests are 

 found in bushes a few feet above the ground. A set of four eggs in Mr. 

 Norris' cabinet was taken July i, 1883, near Hancock, Colorado. 

 The nest was on the ground and was composed of grasses, etc. The 

 eggs are pale greenish-blue, speckled and spotted with bay ; the mark- 

 ings are much heavier and thicker near the larger ends; sizes, .87 x 

 .64, .89X.63, -9IX.65, .93X.58. The number of eggs is stated to be 

 four or five, and are said to resemble those of the Song Sparrow, except 

 in size, some being heavily and distinctly marked. 



555. Zonotrichia intermedia RIDGW. [2070.] 



Intermediate Sparrow. 



Hab. Western North America from the Rocky Mountain region to the Pacific; in winter, south 

 throughout Western United States into Mexico. 



The Intermediate White-crowned Sparrow breeds in the far north 

 throughout Alaska (except the coast east and south of the peninsula) 

 and eastward through the Mackenzie River region. The eggs are 

 described as similar to those of Z. leucophrys but the more cinnamon 

 or rusty colored style predominates. 



556. Zonotrichia gambeli (NUTT.) [207.] 



Gambol's Sparrow. 



Hab. Pacific coast region from Southern California north to British Columbia. 



In California Gamble's White-crowned Sparrow breeds near the 

 coast, building the nest in trees, bushes, and in thick clumps of weeds. 

 It is quite bulky, and composed externally of weed stems, and 

 find dry grasses on the inside. Three to five eggs are laid, commonly 

 three or four. Mr. Norris has a set of four collected by A. M. Ingersoll 

 near Alameda, California, April 2, 1885. Their ground color is pale 

 greenish-blue, spotted and splashed with liver-brown; sizes, .88x.65, 

 .88 x .64, .88 x .64, .94 x .68. A set of four taken by the same collector 

 exhibits the following measurements : .88 x .63, . 90 x .66, .94 x .67, .88 x 



* Manual N. A. Birds, p. 415. 



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