442 BIRDS OF ARCTIC AMERICA MACFARLANE. 



agreed with the published description, but, as it is stated in the history 

 referred to that no specimens were obtained by us, I must conclude 

 that they were lost en route or that we had erred in our identification. 



542«. Ammodramus sand-wichensis savanna (Wilsou). Savanna Sparrow. 



Numerous on the Anderson, and, although frequenting marshes, it 

 generally makes its nest on dry ground, of course, with a lining of 

 the finer grasses. There are usually from four to six eggs in a nest. 



542&. Ammodramus sand-wichensis alaudinus (Bonap.). Western Savanna 



Sparrow. 



Very abundant in marshy and sparsely wooded tracts or plains near 

 Fort Anderson and on the lower river, seeing that " upwards of two 

 hundred nests with eggs" were collected in that quarter. They were 

 all placed on the ground and composed of dry stems of grasses, lined 

 with finer materials of the same. Sometimes the nests are lined with 

 a few feathers and deer's hair. The number of eggs in a nest was four 

 or five. 



556. Zonotrichia leucophrys intermedia, Ridgway. Intermediate Sparrow. 



Later investigations have resulted in determining that all references 

 to Z. gambeli (Nutt) given in Baird, Brewer and Ridgway's History of 

 North American Birds should apply to this new species, which replaces 

 the other in northern Alaska, as well as on the Lower Anderson and 

 Mackenzie Rivers. The Intermediate Sparrow breeds in great numbers 

 in the wooded sections of Anderson district. The nests were nearly 

 always placed on the ground, in the tufts or tussocks of grass, clumps 

 of Labrador tea f Ledum palustrej, and amid stunted willows. They 

 were composed of fine hay and lined with deer hair, occasionally 

 mixed with a few feathers. Several were made entirely of the finer 

 grasses. The usual number of eggs was four, but a lot contained as 

 many as five and six. Upwards of one hundred nests were collected 

 in the region referred to. 



559. Spizella monticola (Gmel.). Tree Sparrow. 



This is perhaps the most abundant Sparrow found breeding in the 

 valley of Anderson Kiver, as is evidenced by the number or nests, two 

 hundred and sixteen, secured. They were almost invariably composed 

 of hay or dried grasses, intermixed with a little stringy bark and lined 

 with feathers. Most of them were found on the ground and the others 

 on dwarf willow, at a height of from one to four feet. Four and five 

 eggs, occasionally as many as six and seven, appeared to be the com- 

 plement. It is possible that the Alaskan form 8. monticola ochracea, 

 Brewster, may also nest in this quarter. 



