Sparrow WESTERN BIRDS 



and browner upper parts with the white spot at the end 

 of inner web of outermost tail feather much smaller. 



In the hot, arid regions of southwestern United States 

 and northwestern Mexico, west from west Texas to Cali- 

 fornia, north probably to southern Idaho and Washing- 

 ton, this is one of the common Sparrows of the sage or 

 mesquit-covered plains. The common song is not un- 

 musical and reminds one somewhat of that of the Lark 

 Sparrow. Mrs. Bailey gives as one of the commonest of 

 its varied modifications, Tra-ree-rah, ree-rah-ree. Daw- 

 son gives Blew chee tee tee as one song, and when, when, 

 whiterer, began nicely but degenerated in the last mem- 

 ber into the metallic clinking of Towhee. 



GENUS AMPHISPIZA: BELL 

 SPARROW. 



Bell Sparrow: Amphispiza belli. 



FAMILY— FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



In the valleys and foothills of California, west of 

 Sierra Nevada, and the Colorado Desert from about 

 latitude 38 south to northwestern Lower California; also 

 on San Clemente Island is found the Bell Sparrow, which 

 is a fairly common resident of the brush-covered washes 

 and mesas of the interior of southern California, extend- 

 ing up to 5,000 feet in the summer-time. The bird is 

 about five and one-half inches long and although mod- 

 estly garbed, it has distinctive markings. The black 

 and white stripes on the sides of throat, the black breast 

 blotch on the otherwise white under parts, eye ring and 

 spot above lores white, are different from other Sparrows 

 except the Sage, from which, however, it may be told 

 since the latter has a series of narrow blackish streaks 

 on the side of the throat but no continuous streak as has 



186 



