570 NORTH AMERICAIT BIRDS. 



over the upper half of the lores, and iu front of the eye, to a line continuous 

 with the cutting edge of the bill, and sends back a short branch to the eye, 

 which cuts off the white superciliary stripe. In gamheli the superciliary 

 stripe passes continuously forward to the ashy lores, cutting off' the black from 

 the eye. The lower edge of the black anteriorly is much higher tlian in 

 leucophrys, and nearly on a line with the nostrils. 



We cannot give any i:)ositi\e cliaracter by which immature specimens of 

 leucojihrijs and gnmhdi may be distinguished, unless that the short dark line 

 from forehead to eye of the former is indicated by a greater amount of dusky 

 at the base of the feathers of that region. 



Tlie young of this species, like that of lcuco2ihri/$, is streaked with black- 

 ish on side of the throat, across the breast, and on the sides of body, instead 

 of being entirely unmarked beneath, as in the adult. 



One specimen, collected in the West Humboldt Mountains, connects this 

 form with leucophrys, and may possibly be a hybrid. In this there is a 

 black spot in front of the eye, but separated from the black of tlie crown by 

 the usual liglit superciUar}' stripe of gamhdi. 



Some specimens from the coast region of California have the ash of head 

 and breast duller, and \\'\i\\ a lirowuish cast, and the spots on the back black 

 instead of deep dark brown. 



Habits. The Western White-crowned Sparrow is found in great abun- 

 dance, from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, between the Rocky Mountains and 

 the Pacific. Dr. Suekley fnund this bird \CYy abundant at Fort Dalles 

 and at Puget Sound, at botli of wliicli places it is a constant summer resi- 

 dent. It was always found in excellent condition. He states that it makes 

 its nest in low buslies, among tlie stalks of lupins and other shrub-like 

 weeds. Dr. Cooper also mentions that this bird is very abundant in all the 

 prairie districts of Wasliington Territory, especially where there are low 

 buslies. I'nlike most of the Sparrows, it was also common on tlie coast 

 prairies, where he found it breeding. They arrive at the Straits of Fuca at 

 the end of March in large numbers, and leave for the South in October. He 

 afterwards found them at Fort Mohave, in the Colorado Valley, <[uite com- 

 mon throughout the winter, some remaining until the 15th of I\Iay, but he 

 does not think that any remain there to lireed. They are also abundant, in 

 winter, from San Francisco south, through all the inhabitable country. In 

 summer they are found in the Sierra Nevada, to their summits, and are also 

 plentiful in the regions north of the Columbia. A few remain, during the 

 summer, in the cool district about San Francisco. In June, 1854, Dr. Cooper 

 met with its nest near the mouth of the Columbia. It was built in a bush, 

 about a foot from the ground, formed of neatly interwoven grasses, and 

 lined with softer materials. He describes its song as loud, but short and 

 melancholy, heard at intervals during the whole year, and frequently at 

 night. 



The Western White-crowned Sparrow was first met with by Mr. Eidgway, 



