214 SINGING BIRDS— OSCINES. 



posed of coarse dry stems and lea\'es, liued with finer grass and horsehairs, 

 outside five inches wide, four higli, inside two and a half wide, two deep ; 

 eggs pale green, blotched and spotted with purplish-brown, chiefly at the 

 large end ; their size 0.62 X 0.82 inch. The ground color is paler and spots 

 darker than those of Z. Gumhdii, and the whole coloring much darker than 

 those of M. fuUax. This was probably an old nest used for a second brood. 

 I found another similar nest, also with, four eggs, in a tliicket, six feet up, 

 as late as July 10th, doubtless a second brood. 



Melospiza rufina, Beandt. 



THE EUSTY SONG-SPAEKOW. 



" EmI.erha rufina, Brandt, Desc. Av. Rossic. 183G, tab. II. 5, Sitka." Bonaparte. 

 Frinijilla ciiima (Gjielin), Audubon, Orn. Biog. V. 1839, 22; jjl. 390. Ib. Syn. 1839. 



119. Ib. Birds Amer. III. 1841, 14.5 ; pi. 187.— (?) Friiigilla c'merai, Gmelin, I. 1788, 



922. 

 Frinrjilla (Passerelh) rjuttala, Nuttall, Man. I. 2d cd. 1840, 581. — Zomtrirliia r/uttata, Gam- 



BICL, J. A. N. Sc. I. Dec. 1847, :>0. 

 Melospiza riijjna, Baird, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 180. — Cooper and Sucklet, XII. iii. Zool. 



of \V. T. 204. 



Sp. Cn.\R. Bill slender. Similar in general appearance to M. Ileennanni, but much 

 more rufous, the colors more blended. General appearance above Uglit rufous-brown, the 

 interscapular region streaked very obsoletely with dark brownish rufous, the feathers of 

 the crown similar, with still darker oljsolete central streaks. A superciliary and very ol)- 

 scure median crown stripe, ashy. Under parts brownish-wlute ; the breast and sides of 



throat and body broailly streaked with dark brownish-rufous ; darker in the centre. A 

 li'dit maxillary stripe. Sides of the body tinged strongly with the colors of the rump, and 

 leaving only a narrow space of the belly wliite. Under coverts brown. Length, 6.75 ; 

 extent, 8.75 ; wing, 2.70 ; tail, 3.00. Iris, bill, and feet bro%vn. 

 Hob. Russian America, to Sierra Nevada, California, lat. 35°. 



This is the more northern and mountain-lo^-ing representative of the song- 

 sparrows, being resident in the higher Sierra Nevada, and on the borders of 



