1186 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 237 part 2 



parts of the Transition and boreal zones, and rather common in open 

 wooded parts of Upper Sonoran Zone, of northern Arizona * * *. 

 Migrates throughout the state. Winters abundantly * * * through- 

 out southern Arizona * * *." F. M. Bailey (1928) says it is also 

 "one of the commonest breeding birds" in New Mexico, where it 

 "breeds as low as 4,700 feet near Montoya * * * up to 11,000 feet 

 near Pecos Baldy, on Jack Creek." 



Distribution 



Range. — Washington and Oregon south to southern Mexico and 

 central Texas. 



Breeding range.— "VhQ western chipping sparrow breeds from Wash- 

 ington, Oregon, northern Utah, southwestern Colorado and western 

 Kansas south to southern California (San Clemente Island, Escondido, 

 San Bernardino Mountains), northern Baja California (probably 

 Sierra San Pedro Mdrtir), central western and southeastern Arizona 

 (Hualpai and Huachuca mountains), northeastern Sonora (south to 

 latitude 30° N.), northwestern Chihuahua (Pacheco), and western 

 and central Texas (Chisos Mountains, Kerrville, San Antonio). 



Winter range. — ^ Winters from central California (Snelling), southern 

 Nevada (lower Colorado River Valley) , central Arizona (Camp Verde), 

 central New Mexico (San Antonio), and western and central Texas 

 (El Paso, Ingram) south to southern Baja California (Cape San 

 Lucas), Veracruz (Las Vigas), Guerrero (Chilpancingo) , and Oaxaca 

 (Tamazulapam) . 



Egg dates. — California: 102 records, March 24 to July 8; 35 records, 

 May 10 to May 30; 40 records, June 10 to June 28. 



Oregon: 24 records, May 6 to July 16. 



Washington: 12 records, May 15 to June 12. 



SPIZELLA PALLIDA (Swainson) 



Clay-colored Sparrow 



PLATE 64 



Contributed by Oscar M. Root 



Habits 



I have found the quest of clay-colored sparrows on the Canadian 

 prairies a delightful experience. On all sides and overhead the prairie 

 bkds join in a joyous symphony — the tumbling liquid chant of the 

 western meadowlark and the fairy piping of the prairie horned lark, 

 the mellow "sliding down the scale of his own notes" of the chestnut- 

 collared longspur, the mournful "wolf" whistle of the upland plover. 



