THE TOWNSEND SPARROW. 151 



Coast; ami that the varying conditions of rainfall and temperature, to which 

 the birds have been subjected thruout the greater portion of the year, have 

 given rise to five recognizable forms of the Townsend Sparrow. 



Probably all forms are migrator}', but the northernmost member of the 

 group, the Shumagin Fox Sparrow (P. i. inialascliciisis) has not been taken 

 except in its summer home, the Alaska Peninsula, Unalaska, and the Shu- 

 magins. The remaining four are known to retire in winter as far south as 

 California: but whether they preserve the 2. 3, 4. 5, arrangement in winter, 

 or whether the order is roughly reversed (as is true in the case of certain 

 other species), so that number 2 goes farthest south, while number 5, less 

 anxious as to the se^-erities of winter, migrates, as it were, half-heartedly, 

 and becomes for a time the northernmost form, we cannot tell. However 

 this may be, Townsend's Sparrow proper (P. i. toxvnscndi) appears to out- 

 number any of the remoter forms during at least the spring migrations; and 

 because it is our next neighbor on the nortli, should be entitled to more 

 consideration than plain heathen birds. 



At no time does the absorpti\-e power of our matchless Puget Sound 

 cover appear to greater advantage than during the migration of the Fox 

 Sparrows. However tliey may choose to move at night, by day they frequent 

 the dense tangles of salal and salmon lirusli. or skulk about in cedar swamps. 

 To search for them is useless, but if you are much out-of-doors the time 

 will come, while you are footing it softly along some woodland path, that 

 a demure Itrown ])ird will hop out in front of vou and look unconcernedly 

 for tid-bits before your very eyes. The bird is a little larger than a Song 

 Sparrow, but you will require a second glance to note that the colors of the 

 upperparts are smoothly blended, that the head lacks the \-ague stripiness 

 of Mclospiza, and that the underparts are spotted instead of streaked. Or, 

 it may be. that you chance upon him as he is busily scratching among the 

 fallen alder leaves. Scratching is hardlv the word tho. for the bird leaps 

 forward and e.Kecutes an extravagant double kick backward, landing in- 

 variably at the edge of the cleared space. Here, without a moment's delay, 

 he proceeds to glean liusily, whereas you rather expected him to pause at 

 the end of his stunt, like the acrobat, awaiting the con\-entional burst of 

 applause. If }-ou must needs pursue the path, he hops back into the thicket 

 and you have seen, perhaps, your last Fo.x Sparrow for this year, altho his 

 nu'grating kinsmen must number millions. 



