FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 331 



4. Upper parts olivaceous. Coast of southern California. 



beldingi, p. 33:.'. 

 4'. Upper parts grayish or grayish brown. 



5. Larger. Alaska ; south along Pacific coast in winter. 



saiidwicheiisis, p. 331. 

 5'. Smaller. 



6. Paler and grayer. Western North America. 



alaudinus, p. 332. 



6'. Darker and browner. Coast of central California in summer. 



bryanti, p. 332. 



2'. Hind toe decidedly longer than inner toe ; wing exceeding tail by 

 little more than length of tarsus ; tail feathers narrower, more 

 sharp pointed. 

 3. Edge of wing white ; head and neck yellowish brown or buffy. 



bairdii, p. 333. 



3'. Edge of wing yellow ; head not yellowish brown or buffy : nape 

 rufous . bimaculatus, p. 334. 



Subgenus Passerculus. 



Hind toe little if any longer than inner toe ; wing exceeding tail by 

 decidedly more than length of tarsus ; tail feathers broader, less sharply 

 pointed. 



542. Ammodramus sandwichensis (GW.). SANDWICH SPAR- 

 ROW. 



Adults. Crown stripe and superciliary well marked, and superciliary 



usually decidedly yellow ; upper parts 

 grayish brown, heavily streaked with 

 black, the streaks in sharp contrast 

 to feather edgings of whitish, grayish. 

 __ or buffy ; under parts white, some- 



. 0() times, especially in fall and winter, 



tinged with buffy on sides and chest ; 

 sides of throat, chest, sides, and flanks streaked with blackish ; longer under 

 tail coverts with concealed streaks. Young : similar, but light streaks of 

 upper parts buffy. dark streaks of lower parts less defined, superciliary 

 usually without yellow, and finely streaked with dusky. Male : length 

 (skins) 4.93-5.75, wing 2.92-3.14, tail 2.00-2.20. bill .44-.50. Female: 

 length (skins) 4.8S-5.74, wing 2.70-3.0(>, tail 1.85.-2.10, bill .44-.50. 



Remarks. The sandicichensis group is distinguished by black streaks 

 on upper parts in connection with distinct superciliary and median crown 

 stripe, and streaks on under tail coverts being concealed. The exposed 

 culmen is also longer than hind toe without claw, and wing less than seven 

 times as long as exposed culmen, the bill straight or even concave in the 

 middle. 



Distribution. Northwest coast, from Alaska to the Columbia River, 

 rarely to northern California. 



Nest. On the ground, in meadows or other grassy places. Eggs : 3 to 

 6, pale brownish, varying to dull whitish or greenish white, spotted with 

 brown, occasionally with a few darker marks. 

 Food. Insects, and weed and grass seed. 



In Alaska Mr. Nelson found the Sandwich sparrow mainly on 

 rocky beaches, though it also frequented grassy flats. He describes 



