FELNGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 573 



i 



Zonotrichia coronata, F.aird. f b (. 



GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. Q, . 



Einberiza coronata., Pallas, Zotig. Kosso-Asiat. II, 1811, 41, plate. Zonotrichia c, Baird, 

 Birds N. Am. 1858, 4(31. — Heeum- X, S, 48 (nest). — Cooper & Suckley, 201.— 

 Dall & Bannister, Ti-. Ch. Ac. I, 1SB9, 284 (Alaska). — Cooper, Om. Cal. I, 197. 

 Emberiza alricapilla, AuD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 47, pi. cccxciv (not of Gmelin). Frin- 

 yilla atricapilla, AuD. Synopsis, 1839, 122. — Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 162, pi. cxciii. 

 Fringilla auroaipilla, Nuttall, Man. I, (2d. ed.,) 1840, 555. Zonotrichia aurocapilla, 

 Bon. Consp. 1850, 478. — Newberry, Zobl. Cal. & Or. Koute, Rep. P. R. R. VI, iv. 

 1857, 88. Emberiza atricapilla, G,m. I, 1788, 875 (in part only). — Lath. Ind. 415. 

 £lack-croianed Bunting, Pennant, Arc. ZoiJl. II, 364. — LjITH. II, i, 202, 49, tab. Iv. 



Sp. Char. Hood, from liill to upper pai-t of nape, pure black, the middle longitudinal 

 third occupied by yellow on the anterior half, and pale ash on the posterior. Sides and 

 under parts of head and neck, with upper part of breast, ash-color, passing insensibly into 

 ■whitish on the middle of the body ; sides and under tail-coverts tinged with brownish. 

 A yellowish spot above the eye, bounded anteriorly by a short black line from the eye to 

 the black of the forehead. This yellow spot, however, reduced to a few feathers in 

 spring dress. Interscapular region, with the feathers, streaked with dark brown, suflused 

 with dark rufous externally. Two narrow white bands on the wings. Bill dusky above, 

 paler beneath ; legs flesh-color. 



Autumnal specimens have more or less of the whole top of head greenish-yellow ; the 

 feathers somewhat spotted with dusky ; the black stripe of the hood reduced to a narrow 

 superciliary line, or else to a spot anterior to the eye. Length about 7 inches ; wing, 

 3.30. 



HjUi. Pacific coast from Eussian America to Southern California; West Humboldt 

 Mountains, Nev. Black Hills of Rocky Mountains ? 



Habits. Tins species, described and figured by Mr. Audubon as the Frin- 

 gilla atricapilla, is found in western North America, from Alaska to South- 

 ern California and Cape St. Lucas, and is almost entirely confined to the 

 Pacific Province, being known east of the Cascade Mountains and Sierra 

 Nevada only as stragglers. In its general habits it is said to greatly resemble 

 the Z. gambcli. In the A'icinity of Fort Dalles, and also in the neighborhood 

 of Fort Steilacoom, Dr. Suckley found it quite abundant in the summer. 



Dr. Cooper says that it is only a straggler in the forest regions west of the 

 Cascade Mountains, Ijut that it probably migrates more abundantly to the 

 open plains eastward of them. He met with them but once near Puget 

 Sound, May 10, when they were apparently migrating. Dr. Cooper found a 

 few of this species wintering as far south as San Diego, associating with Z. 

 gamhcli. They were much less' familiar, did not come about the houses, but 

 kept among the dense thickets. They were then silent, nor has he ever 

 heard them utter any song. He met with none near tlie summit of the 

 Sierra Nevada. 



Dr. Newberry found these birds abundant in the vicinity of San Francisco 

 in winter. 



Mr. Nuttall met with the young birds of this species on the central table- 



