320 NOTES ON THE 



ZONOTRICHIA QUERULA (Nuttall). (553.) 

 HARRIS'S SPARROW. 



My first observation of this noble sparrow was in October, 

 1870, and again in April. In May, 1876, it fell into my hands, 

 and became frequently reported to me in the autumn. T. S. 

 Roberts, near this city, and P. Lewis, in Pipestone, secured 

 several. Indeed, for several years it has been often seen in 

 migration. My correspondent, Dr. Hvoslef. at Lanesboro, 

 shot several, the last one on the 11th of May, 1885, and others 

 mention their assured presence still later in different localities, 

 some of which, like the last mentioned, are in the southern 

 tier of counties, and one on the St. Croix, east of St. Paul. 



Observed in so many places late in the spring, I have 

 expected to hear that the nest and eggs were found, in which 

 expectation, however, I have thus far been disappointed. 

 Nearly all the localities where it has been obtained have been 

 along the course of streams and in the brush that fringes 

 them. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Hood and nape, sides of head anterior to and including the 

 eyes, chin, throat, a few spots in the middle of the upper part 

 of the breast, and on its sides, black; sides of the head and 

 neck ash gray, with the trace of a narrow crescent back of the 

 ear coverts; interscpular region of back, with the feathers red- 

 dish-brown streaked with dark brown; breast and belly clear 

 white; sides of body light brownish, streaked; two narrow 

 white bands across the greater and middle coverts. 



Length, 7; wing, 3.40; tail, 3.65. 



Habitat, middle United States from Minnesota west to Da- 

 kota and middle Kansas. 



ZONOTRICHIA LEUCOPHRYS (Forster). (554; 

 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. 



This species is frequently seen in migration both in spring 

 and autumn mingled with others of the same great family in 

 thickets and brushy land generally. I have found them during 

 these periods more commonly along the borders of clearings 

 in the numerous brush-piles, where they enjoy the safest 

 covert from rapacious enemies while seeking their food of seeds 

 and insects of different kinds. If encroached upon they will 

 conceal themselves so closely as to lead one to suppose it an 

 illusion that he had seen them at all until driven from their 



