526 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



661. Clay-coloured Sparrow. 



Spizella pallida (Swains.) Bonap. 1838. 



On May 9th, 1894, while hunting in a field of small shrubs about 

 15 miles west of London, Ont., I saw a small sparrow sitting on 

 the^^top twig of a shrub, after the manner of the field sparrow and 

 heard him give a note whose author I was looking for. It proved 

 to be a Spizella pallida, the first recorded, I believe, in our prov- 

 ince, though they may yet be found inhabiting the northwestern 

 extremity, next to Manitoba. {W. E. Saunders.) The western 

 meadow lark, Brewer's blackbird and the present species were the 

 chief birds I observed at Pembina to indicate an avi-fauna in any 

 wise different from that of the eastern province at large, and two 

 of these cannot be considered very strong marks since they both 

 occur some distance further eastward. (Coues.) Very abundant 

 summer resident in Manitoba on scrubby prairies and half open 

 lowlands. This small sparrow arrives in flocks about the 12th 

 May. Its small size and pale-ashy hue will generally identify it as 

 it rambles over the scrubby part of the prairie. (E. T. Seton.) 

 This species was first seen at Indian Head, Sask., on May 20th, 

 1892. In a few days after they were quite common, and on June 

 7th I found a nest in a low bush lined with dried grass and horse 

 hair. This species is found everywhere on the prairie wherever 

 there is brush from Manitoba to the foothills of the Rocky moun- 

 tains. It nests chiefly in rose bushes, but I have found them on 

 the ground at Frenchman river, under sage brush {Artemisia cana). 

 Nests were found at Spur creek in the sage brush as late as July 7th 

 with fresh eggs ; common at Canmore in the Bow valley, but 

 scarce at Banff in the Rocky mountains in June, 1891 ; first seen 

 at Edmonton, Alta., May 31st; found a number of nests, all on the 

 ground at the roots of a little clump of willows; none of the nests 

 were more than four inches above the ground, and were made of 

 dried grass lined with horse hair ; eggs from two to five in a set ; 

 common in the foothills, 40 miles southwest of Calgary ; common 

 in all the open country from Lesser Slave lake to Peace River Land- 

 ing, lat. 56° 15' in June, 1903; common from Edmonton to Pem- 

 bina river in June, 1898. (Spreadborough.) Three specimens 

 secured at Grand rapids of the Saskatchewan. (Nutting.) Com- 

 monly seen in company with the tree sparrcfw and probably breed- 



