158 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 233 



graphic interest since they are given in my previous accounts (1929, 

 pp. 217-218; 19-34, p. 111). 



The vesper sparrow has been known to rear the young of the para- 

 site to the fledging stage. 



Lark Sparrow 



Chondestes grammacus (Say) 



The lark sparrow is a relatively uncommon host of the brown- 

 headed cowbird. Thirty records have been noted, involving all three 

 races of the cowbird and two of the sparrow, grammacus and strigatus. 

 The typical race, grammacus, is known to be parasitized by ater and 

 artemisiae; the race strigatus is molested by ater, artemisiae, and 

 obscurus. The records are distributed among the following states: 

 California, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, 

 North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas. 



In his study of the lark sparrow in the upper Ohio valley, Brooks 

 (1938b, p. 197) noted that the comparatively open nests of this species 

 seemed well suited for the cowbird's requirements; he concluded that, 

 in some areas, there must be a severe loss in numbers of the sparrow 

 because of the activities of the cowbird. I have failed to detect 

 evidence for a marked effect anywhere, and Brooks did not supply it 

 for the region he studied. In Kansas, R. F. Johnston (in litt.) in- 

 formed me of 6 parasitized nests out of a total of 22 found — an inci- 

 dence of parasitism of about 25 percent. 



Rufous-winged Sparrow 



Aimophila carpalis (Coues) 



The rufous-winged sparrow is a poorly known bu"d and the fact 

 that little is on record concerning its relations with the brown-headed 

 cowbird is not surprising. So little information exists that it all may 

 be repeated here. Henshaw (1875, p. 292) wrote that "its nest appears 

 to be the one most favored by the Dwarf Cow Bunting ... as the 

 recipient of its eggs." Bendire (1895, p. 292) made a similar state- 

 ment, possibly based on the earlier one by Henshaw. In the U.S. 

 National Museum were two sets of Aimophila carpalis eggs, each with 

 a cowbird egg, reported to have been collected by Bendire, but 

 they no longer can be located. They may have been the actual basis 

 for Bendire's statement. A third set in the U.S. National Museum, 

 also with a cowbird egg, was collected by H. P. Attwater at San An- 

 tonio, Texas, on June 5, 1899. 



Davie (1889, p. 119), commenting on Bendire's experiences with this 

 sparrow, wrote that "about one half of the nests found contained one 

 or more eggs of the Dwarf Cowbird." Unfortunately, no indication 

 is given as to the total number of nests found. J. T. Marshall, Jr. 

 (in litt.), informed me that, in the mesquite woods of the San Xavier 



