154 Z. LEUCOPHRYS, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. 



ZONOTRICHIA LEUCOPHRYS, (Forst.) Sw. 



Wliite-erowiied Sparrow. 



Emberiza Icueophrijs, FousT., Philos. Tr. Ixii, 1772, 382, 40:?, 426.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 

 874.— WiLS., Am. Oru. iv, 1811, 49, pi. :{1, f. 4. 



FringiUa huvophiys, Br., Syu. 1828, 107.— Nu'JT.. Man. i, 18:>2, 479.— Aud., Orn. Biog. ii, 

 18:i4, 68; V, 1839, 51.'> ; pi. 114.— Aud., Syu. 18:59, 121.— Aud., B. Aui. iii, 1841, 

 157, pi. 192. — PuTN., Pr. Es.s. Inst. 1856, 211 (Essex County, Mass., very rare, 

 May aud Sept.). — Tiuppe, ibid, vi, 1871, 116 (Minnesota, coiunion, breeding). 



lYnigUhi {Zonoiriclda) Iciicophri/s, Sw. &. Rich., F. B. A. ii, 18ol, 2.55. 



Zonotrichiii humphrys, Bp., List, 1838, 32; Cousp. Av. i, 1850, 478. — Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 

 1853, 84 (Indian Territory, Texas, New Mexico; but mixes it with var. into'- 

 mcdia).—KE'^^., P. R. R. Rej). (error lor iiiiam(dia'l).—Bl)., Pr. Pbila. Acad. 1859, 

 p. — (Cape St. Lucas!). — Reinh., Ibis, iii, 1861,, 7 (Greenland, breeding). — 

 Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. I860.— Coles, Pr. Phihi. Acad. 1861, 223 (Labrador, 

 abundant, Ijreeding).— Havd., Rep. 1862, 166.— Coues & Peent., Smiths. Rep. 

 1861, (1862), 412 (Washington, D. C, winter, until May 10, rare aud irregular). — 

 Boardm., Pr. Bost. Soc. ix, 1862, 126 (Calais, Me., not common). — Veru.. Pr. 

 Ess. Inst, iii, 151 (Norway, Me., spring and fall, rare). — Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, 

 iv, 1864,71 (Springfield, Mass., rare in springaud autumn, " possibly breeds "). — 

 —Coues, ibid, v, 1868, 282. — Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 115 (South Caro- 

 lina, Oct. to Apr., not common). — Lawk., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1868, 286. — 

 Allen, Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 517 (Northern Illinois, May, quite common). — 

 TuPNB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 22 (Sept. to May, rather rare).— Mayn., Guide, 1870, 

 118 (Massachusetts, very rare migrant). — Mayk., Pr. Bost. Soc. xiv, 1871 

 (common, aud breeding at Quebec; various New England localities). — Stev., 

 U. S.Geol.Surv.Ter. 1870,464 (Wyoming).- Meki:., i^(rf. 1872, 681 (Montana).— 

 Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870 (Cape St. Lucas, in winter).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 

 1872, 156, 163, 177 (mountains of Colorado, to above timber-line, in July). — 

 Aiken, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 200 (Shernuin, Wvo. ; "common wherever there is 

 brush')-— CouKS, Key, ls72, 144.— B. B. &. R.", N. A B., 1, 1874, 566, pi. 25, f. 9, 10. 



(?) Spiztlla maxima, Bp., Comp. Rend. 1853, — . 



Hab. — Eastern North America to tbe Rocky Mountains. Greenland (Reitihardf). 

 Cape St. Lucas in winter (Xautiifi). Not given by Allen among winter birds of Florida, 

 nor by Dall and Bannister as occurring in Alaska. 



Lieutenant Warren's Expedition. — 4794, Vermilion River; 5403, Knife Rirer; 9238, 

 Black Hills. 



Later Expeditions.— 59882-6, Colorado ; 60656-9, 62301-2, Wyoming ; 62300, Montana. 



Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition. 



Like other uatnralists who have visited the forbidding shores of Lab- 

 rador, I found the White-crowned Sparrow one of the most abundant of 

 the summer birds of that country. Labrador and Newfoundland, 

 indeed, appear to be the principal breeding resorts of the species along 

 the Eastern coast. The nest appears to be always placed on the ground ; 

 the situations generally selected are thick patches of low heath, and the 

 still more dense growths of scrubby conifers. It is composed chietly of 

 mosses, but lined with a quantity of very tine dried grasses or rootlets, 

 set evenly round and round. The eggs are four or hve in number, 

 about seven-eighths oi' an inch long, aud pale greenish, speckled and 

 blotched, particularly toward the larger end, with brown and neutral 

 tint. The descriptions of some of the earlier authors are certainly erro- 

 neous, probably relating to the egg of the Tit-lark, which breeds abun- 

 dantly with the White-crowned Sparrow, and, lihe it, budds a mossy 

 nest on the ground. I found nestlings but a few days old the last week 

 in July; these were perhai)s of a second brood, as many birds of the 

 year were fl.ving about the same time. The southward migration begins, 

 according to Audubon, as early as the middle of August; this state- 

 ment is conliriiied by the presence of the birds in New England, and 

 even in the Middle States, in September. The migration is very exten- 

 sive, the birds scattering all over the Uinted States, and wintering as 

 far north, at least, as Maryland. Audubon says that they pass beyond 

 Texas; but he does not ai>pear to have made any personal observation 



