FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 361 



bars ; under parts white, sides of throat and chest spotted and blotched 

 with reddish brown ; flanks streaked with rufous. Young : 

 similar, but colors duller and markings less sharply de- 

 fined. Male: lengtli (skins) o.'.)4-6.80, wing- o.40-o.Gl, tail 

 2.64-2.91, bill .42-..J1. Female: length (skins) 6.18-6.70. 

 wing O.30-O.46, tail 2.63-2.88, bill .42-.48. 



Distribution. — Northern Xorth America, breeding from 

 Magdalen Islands to Bering Sea ; south in winter to Florida, 

 middle Texas, and eastern base of Rocky Mountains. 



Xest. — On ground or in bushes, made largely of moss 

 and leaves. Eggs: o to 5, bluish green spotted with red- 

 dish brown. 



Food. — Insects, a large proportion of ragweed and polygonum seed, and 

 wild fruit. 



685a. p. i. unalaschcensis (GmeL). Townsend SrAUKow.^ 



Upper parts reddish broiru. more or less mixed with slati/ gratj. becoming- 

 dark brown or foxy on rump, wings, and 

 tail ; under parts white, thickly marked 

 with triangular spots of dark brown converg- 

 ing on breast. Male : length (skins) ().5( )- 

 6.70, wing 3.28-o.o9, tail 2^.88-2.98, bill .49- Fig. 4:,0. 



.50. Female: length (skins) 6.20-6.68, wing o.l4-:].19. tail 2.71-2.80. bill 

 .50-.52. 



Remarks. — The dark reddish brown upper parts, converging spots on 

 the breast, and the long wings distinguish this subspecies. 



Distribution. — Breeds on Alaskan peninsula and islands, and migrates 

 to southern California ; casually to Lower California. 



Nest. — Near the ground in dense thickets, made largely of mo.ss and 

 leaves. Eggs : S or 4, pale bluish green, or greenish gray, speckled and 

 blotched with brown and lilac. 



The members of the genus Passerella are large, strongly marked 

 sparrows, with loud, rather rich voices. As the size and strength of 

 their feet show, they are diggers. A bird that I watched in Golden 



1 Mr. Ridgway lias restricted unalaschcensis to Alaska and separated from it the form 

 which comes to northern Cahfornia as (ownsemli, adding several new subspecies which 

 winter in California. 



Passerella i/iaca in.si<l(tris Ridgway. 



Like iinala.sc/icensi.s, but back warm sepia brown, spots on chest large and deep brown, 

 under tail coverts strongly tinged witli buff. 



Distribution. — Kadiak Island (and Middletou Island -.'), Alaska, in .summer ; south to 

 California in winter. {The Auk, xvii. 31.) 



Passerella iliaca annertins Ridgway. Yaki'tat Fox Spaurow. 



Similar to insuluris, Imt smaller, especially the bill, and coloration slightly browner. 



Distribution. — Coast of Alaska, from Cross Sound to Prince William Sound (to Cook 

 Inlet?), south in winter to Caiifornia. {T/ie Auk, xvii. 30.) 



Passerella iliaca meiuli>iilrs (Vigors). 



Like insularis, but bill smaller and coloration througliout darker. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Vakutat Bay district ('.') and winters in Santa Cruz district. 

 (The Condor, iv. 4."».) Perhaps a synonym of annectens. 



Passerella iliiica tounsentliiAxuX.). Townsend Spaubow. 



Like anueetens, but darker, spots on cliest hirgcr. 



Distribution. — ('oast of soutliern Alaska : in winter to northern California. 



Passerella iliaca fulifjino.sa Ridgway. Sooty Fox Sparrow. 



Like tou'iisenili, but tiarker and less rufescent, spots on under parts larger and more 

 confluent than in other forms. 



Di.itributiou. — Breeds in coawt district of southwestern Britisli Columbia and north- 

 western Wasliington ; south in winter to coast of nurtliern California. ( The Auk. xvi. 30.) 



