510 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



and back of neck clear asli, more or less streaked with black on the hind-ne(;k; middle of 

 ba(;k and scapulars rusty brown, streaked with black; rump and upper tail-coverts plain 

 gray; under parts plain light gray, darkest on breast and sides, nearly white on throat 

 and belly; wings and tail brownish-gray, the wings with two narrow bars of white or buffy 

 white, the tail unmarked; bill entirely black; iris brown. In winter or late autiunn the 

 colors become duller, tlie reddish crown often streaked with blackish, the under parts washed 

 with brownish, and the bill brown. Young: At first the crown is light brown, narrowly 

 striped with blackish, and the entire under parts are streaked with whitish and dusky; 

 later the streaks beneath disappear, but the streaked crown is retained, together with a 

 broad whitish stripe over and behind the eye. Length 5. to 5.85 inches; wing 2.55 to 2.90; 

 tail 2.20 to 2.60. 



232. Clay-colored Sparrow. Spizella pallida (Swains.). (561) 



Synonyms: Emberiza paUida, Swainson, 1831.— Emberiza shattuckii, Aud., 1843. — 

 Spizella pusio, Sharpe. — Spizella pallida of most authors. 



In coloration somewhat resembling an immature Chipping Sparrow 

 with unstreaked under parts, but in proportions of wing and tail much 

 like the Field Sparrow, that is, with the wing about the same length as the 

 tail or even shorter. Only to be identified by the expert. 



Distribution. — Interior of North America, from Ilhnois and Iowa west 

 to the Rocky Mountains, Arizona, etc., and north to the Saskatchewan 

 Plains. Breeds from Iowa and Nebraska northward. 



This is a western sparrow which appears to enter Michigan merely as a 

 straggler during migrations. It has been reported several times from 

 different parts of the state, but on investigation most of these records have 

 proved to be incorrect. The only Michigan specimens known to us at 

 present are one taken by P. A. Taverner, at Port Huron, St. Clair county, 

 May 2, 1901, and now in the collection of J. H. Fleming of Toronto, and one 

 taken on Isle Royale, Lake Superior, August 25, 1904, by W. A. Maclean, 

 and now in the University Museum at Ann Arbor. This latter specimen 

 was identified by H. C. Oberholzer, Washington, and the writer also has 

 examined it. Mr. Norman A. Wood who was in charge of the party when 

 this bird was taken, states that another was seen on the following day, 

 and one each on August 28 and 31. 



In general appearance and habits this species shows an odd mixture 

 of the peculiarities of the Chipping Sparrow and Field Sparrow, nesting 

 very near the ground and usually away from human habitations, but re- 

 sembling the Chipping Sparrow somewhat in coloration, and its song lacking 

 entirely the musical qualities of the Field Sparrow's. Seton Thompson 

 describes its song as "A sound like a fly in a newspaper, 'scree-scree-scree,' 

 sometimes giving but one note and at other times in the height of the 

 season repeating the dulcet five or six times." Mr. Currier, describing its 

 habits at Leach Lake, Minn., speaks of its song as "A buzzing, rasping 

 noise, a httle like the song of the cicada, but not so musical and given 

 with more vigor. A friend * * * would call the bird nothing but the 

 'Rasper. '" 



The nest is placed in low bushes, often within a few inches of the ground. 

 The eggs are three to six, light greenish blue, speckled with brown, mostly 

 at the larger end, and averaging .66 by .49 inches. 



Since this species occurs regularly, though not very abundantly, in parts 

 of Wisconsin, and plentifully in northern Minnesota, it is not impossible 

 that it may prove to be a regular migrant, or possibly even a summer 

 resident, in the western half of the Upper Peninsula, but as yet we have 

 nothing to warrant such a belief. 



