Ki;iMiii.i,in.K 



'I IK FINCHES. 



567 



ZoJWirir/lia Ifiticophnjs. 



/^Hi(i/n similar, biil, siiiuIIim' ; iiEiiiiiiiinc liirds in lir^i wiiitur, willi tin,' black and white 

 sirlpcs on llic ci'owii n'pliii'<Ml by ihirk clioytiiiil-bi-owii and brownish-yellow. Length, 

 7.1(1 inches; winjr, •'!.'.i5. Yoiiiir/ of llie year iUiddy strc.iked with dusky on the breast. 

 'I'lic lateral striiies of the crown dnll brown, the mediini one streaked wliitish. 



Hah. United Stiite.s lioin the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, where they lieoonie 

 ius.sociivtcd will) Z. tjamhcU. Cape St. Lucas; 

 Cireenland (IIkiniiardt, Ibis, III, 7). Breed in 

 Wahsateh Mountains (RiniiWAY). 



The wliitii ol' the cvowu .separates two 

 bhiek strijics on either sides rather nar- 

 rower thiui ilsell'. The bhick line behiml 

 I lie eye is contiiuieJ anterior to it into the 

 lilaek at the base of the bill. The lower 

 cveliil is white. There are some obscure 

 cloiidinns of darker on the neck alir)V('. 

 The rum]) is inniiactdate. Xo white on 

 the tail, e.xeept very obscure tips. The 

 white on the wings crosses the ends ol' the middle and greater coverts. 



The cliaracter distingui.sliing the western representative {Z. (jamhdi) of 

 lr.ucoph)\i/s is apparently \ery tritiing, but is very constant. 



Habits. The White-crowned Sparrow is found from the liocky ^foun- 

 tains eastward to the Atlantic, and in all the intervening territory, from the 

 Southern States to the Arctic regions. I:i the high meadows of the 

 Wahsateh ^Mountains, Mr. Kidgway found tliis bird very abundant, and one 

 very characteristic, breeding tliere quite as numerously as any other species. 

 In all that region Mr. llidgway did not meet with a single individual of i^. 

 (jamhcli, its western rei^resentative. At the encampment at I'arley's Park 

 these birds soon became on very familiar terms with the party. They were 

 very sociable, and jmid ireijuent visits to the cook's tent, and picked up, with- 

 out the slightest signs oi' fear, the crumbs from the ground. Their sweet 

 morning carol was, he states, delightful to the ear, and they were lield in 

 great favor by all. A nest of these birds was found on the groTind, at Parley's 

 Park, June 26. It was built in a bunch of Geranmm. Specimens of this 

 species were obtained, in winter, at Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, by Mr. 

 Xantus. 



Although an eastern species, passing, in its migrations, through the South- 

 ern Atlantic States to Labrador in the spring and returning in the fall, it is 

 a rare species in all New England. Mr. Boardman says that it is not com- 

 mon in Eastern Maine, and ilr. Verrill tiiat it is rare in the western part of 

 that State. In Eastern Massacliusetts it is very rare. ]\Ir. Maynard men- 

 tions obtaining a single specimen, May 27, and regards it as ([uite a rare 

 migrant. I have never met with the bird near Boston, and do not believe 

 that it is found there, except singly and rarely. In the western part of the 

 State, though less rare, it is veiy far from being common. It is found there 

 in the spring, from the 2()th to the 30th nf May, and in October from the 1st 



