Western Chipping Sparrow 369 



centres to the feathers ; the hind-neck greyish ; wings and tail dusky, 

 the middle and greater coverts tipped, the inner secondaries edged, with 

 white, forming a double wing-band ; tail-feathers edged with whitish ; 

 below dull white with a grey tinge on the throat and a brown tinge on 

 the flanks ; a median, semi-concealed patch of dusky on the breast ; 

 iris brown, upper mandible black, lower yellow, tipped with dusky ; 

 legs dark brown. Length 5-30; wing 3-05; tail 2-70; culmen -40; 

 tarsus -83. 



The sexes are alike ; in winter the crown-patch is more or less flecked 

 with buffy. 



Distribution. — Breeding in Alaska and Yukon ; south in winter 

 through western North American to Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Texas. 



The Western Tree-Sparrow is one of the commonest of the winter 

 visitors in Colorado, and is found throughout the State from the plains 

 to about 9,000 feet— Crested Butte, October 10th (E. R. Warren), is the 

 highest definite record I have met with. It reaches Colorado Springs, 

 where it is abundant, at the end of October, and leaves again in March 

 and April ; Aiken's earliest and latest dates are, October 24th and 

 April 20th. In south-west Colorado, according to Morrison and Oilman, 

 it is not so abundant ; but it is far from rare in Mesa co. up to 7,500 feet. 



Habits. — The Tree-Sparrow is found everywhere — in 

 thickets of scrub-oak and willow along the streams, 

 or wherever there is shelter. It sings with a somewhat 

 low and weak voice, but very sweetly in October after 

 its arrival ; and is able to endure a very considerable 

 amount of cold. In winter it maintains itself almost 

 entirely on seeds, and is often found mingling with the 

 Junco flocks. 



Western Chipping Sparrow. Spizella passerina arizonce. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 560a — Colorado Records — Allen 72, pp. 149, 

 157, 163 ; Aiken 72, p. 200 ; Henshaw 75, p. 277 ; Scott 79, p. 93 ; 

 Minot 80, p. 230 ; Drew 81, p. 91 ; 85, p. 16 ; Tresz 81, p. 43 ; Allen 

 & Brewster 83, p. 190 ; Beckham 85, p. 141 ; 87, p. 124 ; H. G. Smith 

 86, p. 284 ; Thorne 87, p. 264 ; Morrison 88, p. 74 ; 89, p. 37 ; McGregor 

 97, p. 38 ; Cooke 97, pp. 19, 103, 166, 215 ; Henderson 03, pp. 108, 236 ; 

 09, p. 237 ; Warren 06, p. 22 ; 08, p. 23 ; 09, p. 16 ; Gihnan 07, p. 157 ; 

 Rockwell 08, p. 172. 



Description. — Male — Crown chestnut, the forehead black, often with 

 a median spot of grey ; back and scapulars pale brown streaked with 

 dusky, becoming greyish on the nape and rump ; wings and tail dusky, 



AA 



