Sparrow WESTERN BIRDS 



stripe each side of throat; the under parts are a soiled 

 white and the uppers very much striped in browns and 

 tans, with tan wing bars showing in the young birds. 

 Beautiful, indeed, are these little striped birds and per- 

 fect is their protective coloration. 



The nests are usually placed in sagebrush a few feet 

 from the ground, and are made of fine twigs, grasses, 

 fibers, and lined with horsehair. In the color of the 

 eggs, which have a blue ground, the resemblance to the 

 Chipping Sparrow is carried out. 



The note is a sharp wezee, and the song, though having 

 a trill in it, far excels that of the Chippy. 



In parts of Michigan, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, 

 and wintering from Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, 

 south, is found the Clay-colored Sparrow (S. pallida). 

 It is a bird of the plains and in many ways resembles 

 Brewer's, the chief difference being that 'pallida has a 

 plain gray hind neck, while breweri is uniformly 

 streaked on head, neck, and back. 



GENUS SPIZELLA: BLACK-CHINNED 

 SPARROW. 



Black-Chinned Sparrow: Spizella atrogularis. 



FAMILY— FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



During the summer in the desert and coast regions of 

 southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico is found 

 the Black-chinned Sparrow, which in song and plumage 

 somewhat resembles its eastern cousin, the Field. The 

 head, neck, and under parts are gray, with under tail 

 coverts white; back rusty brown narrowly streaked with 

 blackish; bill pinkish brown; throat and ring around bill 

 black. The female has the black around bill restricted, 



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