J84 SINGING BIRDS — OSCINES. 



Passerculus rostratus, Cassis. 



THE SEA-SHOKE SPARROW. 



Emheriza rostrata, CaSSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. VI. U^2, :H8. — Ammodranvis rnstratus, Cassijj, 

 Illust. I. 18.^5,226; pi. xxxviii. — Passerculus rostratus, Bxihd, V. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 

 446. — Heekmanx, X. vi. 46. 



Sp. Char. Bill very long (O.o.'j of nn inch above). "Wholo npppr parts and sides of 

 head and neck pale gra}ish-brown, nearly every feather with a darker central blotch, 

 darkest along the shaft. A scarcely appi-eciable central stripe in the croAvn, an obscure 

 yellowish-white superciliary, and a wliitish maxillary one. Under parts pure white; 



streaked on the breast and the sides of tliroat and body with dark brown (streak 

 paler externally). Under tail coverts unspotted white. Tail and wing feathers and 

 wings margined with the color of the back ; the edges of tertiaries rather paler. Length, 

 6.00; extent, 9.50; wing, 3.00 ; tail, 2.30. 



Hah. Coast of California, near San Diego and San Pedro ; Cape St. Lucas. 



Though having some re-semblance to Passcrcvlus, and without the acute, 

 graduated tail featliers of other Amm.odrovii, this bird resembles the latter 

 genus most closely in bill and claws, as well as in haliits, in which it is 

 veiy different from Passerculus. 



I found them plenty at San Pedro and San Diego at all seasons, and 

 duubt wliether they migrate at all. Tliey frequented the shores of the 

 bays and the sea-beach, also coming familiarly about buildings near the 

 water, feeding on any seeds and insects tliey could find. On the beach 

 they run along tlie sand in tlie rows of drift-weed, etc., seeking food, and 

 rarely talce flight unless suryirised, and only fly a .short distance. I have 

 never seen them alight on bushes or lieard them sing, their only note being 

 a sliort cliirp. At San Pedro I saw tlieni in July feeding their young, liut 

 never found a nest that I was certain belonged to this species. Tliis bird is 

 a winter resident at Cape St. Lucas, where ]\Ir. Xantus found it in abun- 

 dance ; Init not in summer, altiiough they probably breed near. 



