FRINGILLID.K — THE KIXCHES. 25 



instead of aViout equal tu them in wiilth, uiid the edges to the iiiterscaimlar 

 feathers are uot appreciably paler than the prevailing shade, instead of beini,' 

 hoary whitish, iu strong contrast. In spring the "bridle" on the side of the 

 throat and the spots on the jugulum liave the black of their central portion 

 iu excess of their external rufous suffusion ; but iu autumn the rusty rather 

 predominates ; at this season, too, the rusty tints above overspread the whole 

 surface, but the Ijlack streaks are left shar])ly defined. At all seasons, the 

 spots on the jugulum are broader and rather more nunierous than in mcJodia. 

 The young can scarcely be distinguished from those of mclodia, but they have 

 the dark streak.'; on the crown and upjjer tail-coverts consi-derably broader. 



Habits. The California Song Sparrow has been named in honor of the 

 late Dr. Heermann, who first obtained specimens of this bird in the Tejon 

 Valley, and mistook them for the Zoiiotricida guttata of Gambel {M. rujina), 

 from which they were appreciably different. Whether a distinct species 

 or only a local race, this bird takes the place and is the almost precise 

 counterpart, iu most essential respects, of the Song Sparrow of the East. 

 The exact limits of its distribution, both in the migratory season and in that 

 of reproduction, have hardly yet been ascertained. It has been found in 

 California as far north as San Francisco, and to the south and southeast to 

 San Diego and the Mohave Eiver. 



The California Song Sparrow is the characteristic Melospiza in all that por- 

 tion of the State south of San Francisco. It is found, Dr. Cooper states, in 

 every locality where there are thickets of low bushes and tall weeds, espe- 

 cially in the vicinity of water, and wherever unmolested it comes about the 

 gardens and houses with all the i'amiliaritv of the common mclodia. The 

 ground, under the shade of plants or bu.shes, is their usual jdace of resort. 

 There they diligently search for their food throughout the day, and rarely fly 

 more than a few yards from the place, and remain about their chosen locality 

 from one year's end to another, being everywhere a resident species. In the 

 spring they are said to perch occasionally on some low bush or tree, and sing 

 a lively and pleasant melody for an hour at a time. Each song. Dr. Cooper 

 remarks, is a complete little stanza of a dozen notes, and is frequently varied 

 or changed entirely for another of similar style, but quite distinct. Although 

 no two birds of this species sing just alike, there is never any difficulty in dis- 

 tinguishing their songs when once heard. There is, he thinks, a similarity of 

 tone and style in the songs of all the species of true Meloqnza, which has 

 led other observers to consider them as of only one species, when taken in 

 connection with their other similarities in colors and halats. 



Dr. Cooper found a nest, presumed to belong to this bird, at Santa Cruz, 

 in June. It was built in a dense blackberry-bush, about three feet from the 

 ground, constructed with a thick periphery and base of dry grasses and thin 

 strips of bark, and lined with finer grasses. The eggs were of a smoky 

 white, densely speckled with a dull brown. Although this bird was abun- 

 dant arounil Santa Cruz, he was only able, after nmcli searching, to find two 



VOL. II. 4 



