WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 229 



Geographical Distribution : Western United States east to Rocky Moun- 

 tains, south to Mexico, north to Britisli Columbia, 



Calijornia Breeding Eangc : Arid foot-hill regions of the interioi', chiefly 

 along the southern Sierra Nevada. 



Breeding Season: May and June. 



Nest : Of dry grasses and rootlets ; lined with hair ; placed generally in 

 sagebushes a few feet from the ground. 



Eggs: Usually 4 ; light greenish blue, with reddish brown markings, 

 chiefly at the larger end. Size 0.69 X 0.53. 



Wherever in California there is sagebrush there are 

 Brewer Sparrows, be it in the arid deserts of the south- 

 ern district, or among the foot-hills, or on the mountains. 

 As Mrs. Bailey says, 8,400 feet high on the snowy crests 

 of the sierras, ** morning and evening the curious little 

 tinkling song comes up from all over the brush, and it 

 seems as if we had come upon a marsh full of singing 

 though subdued, marsh wrens." 



In appearance this sparrow is much like the clay- 

 colored sparrow, but is paler and duller, being almost 

 ashy on the under parts, and harmonizing well with the 

 tones of its arid nesting ground. The nests are usually 

 in sagebushes a foot or two from the ground, and, unlike 

 those of most sparrow^s, are lined with hair. In this 

 and in other habits it resembles the chipping sparrow, 

 and the eggs arc so like those of the latter as to be dis- 

 tinguishable from them with ditticulty. It is sometimes 

 called the "Sagebrush Chippie." The newly hatched 

 young complete the family resemblance, being the same 

 daintily proportioned little creatures that we find in the 

 nests of the Eastern chipping sparrow or hair bird. As 

 soon as they arc able to lly, they care for themselves, and 

 the parents turn their attention to another brood. In 



