175 



average must be considerably higher. The vegetable matter consumed 

 consists of small weed seeds in which those of crab grass, lambs quarters, 

 and ragweed predominate. It will be seen that a bird having these desirable 

 qualities and coming into the immediate vicinity of the garden is most 

 useful and one to be encouraged in every manner possible. 



561. Clay-coloured Sparrow. Spizella pallida. L, 5-20. A small sparrow with 

 upper parts streaked in light buff and dark brown to crown, where a whitish median stripe 

 is indicated. A faint collar of slaty suffusion about the back of the neck. White below, 

 slightly tinged with buff on flanks. 



Distinctions. On account of size and habits only hkely to be mistaken for the Chipping 

 Sparrow; but the back is hghter than in that bird and more clay-coloured, and the rump 

 instead of being faintly slaty is shghtly ohve-buff. 



Nesting. On ground or in bushes, in nest of grasses hned with hairs. 



Distribution. The interior of America. It is a prairie form extending north to the 

 hmits of the prairie provinces, and only of accidental occurrence in eastern Canada, except 

 perhaps in the coimtry adjoining the Manitoba boundary. 



A bird of the west; of rare occurrence in the western limits of the 

 region treated of in this work. 



563. Field Sparrow, fr. — le pinson des champs. Spizella pusilla. L, 6-68. 

 A small sparrow of the same general colour as the Chipping, but with the colours subdued, 

 suffused, and blended. The red crown is darker and inconspicuous and there is no line of 

 black through the eye. The bill is cinnamon coloured insteaxi of black. 



Distinctions. The above distinctions are sufficient to distinguish this bird. 



Field Marks. Dull reddish crown, lack of facial marks other than a touch of red on 

 ends of ear coverts, and cinnamon-coloured bill. The song is its most easily recognized 

 characteristic and when learned is the best means of identification. 



Nesting. On ground or in low bushes, in nest of rather coarse grasses, weed stalks, 

 and rootlets, lined with fine grasses and hair. 



Distribution. Eastern America; in Canada including most of the settled sections, 

 but rather local in distribution and unaccountably absent from some locahties weU within 

 its range. 



SUBSPECIES. The Field Sparrow is divided into an eastern and western subspecies; 

 the former, the type form, is the only one occurring in eastern Canada. 



The Field Sparrow is an inconspicuous bird and though often very 

 common is so like a Chipping Sparrow with worn plumage that it may be 

 mistaken for it. It is a bird of the open fields and fence rows and though 

 not shy or unusually retiring, must be looked for and listened for to be 

 found. 



Economic Status. Very much like the Chipping Sparrow in food 

 habits, taking a few more useful insects though not enough to perceptibly 

 affect its usefulness. 



567. Junco. graybird. black snowbird, fr. — pinson niverolle. Junco 

 hyemalis. L, 6-27. Plate XXXIII B. 



Distinctions. Sohd dark slate-grey above and on breast, cutting sharply against the 

 white underparts. 



Field Marks. Sharp line of the dark breast against the white below, and white outer 

 tail feathers which show in flight. 



Nesting. On or near the ground in nest of grasses, moss, and rootlets lined with finer 

 grasses and long hairs. 



Distribution. As a species, all of America to the tree hmits. The Slate-coloured 

 Junco extends west to Alberta. 



SUBSPECIES. The Juncos are divided into a number of subspecies, only one of 

 which, the Slate-coloured Junco, the type form, occurs in eastern Canada. 



