THE BIRD BOOK 



544. Large-billed Sparrow. Passerculus rostratus 

 rostratus. 



Range. — Coast of southern and Lower California. 



Similar to the Savannah Sparrow but paler and grayer, 

 without yellow lores and a larger and stouter bill. They 

 are common in salt marshes, often in company with the 

 last species and their nesting habits are similar to and 

 the eggs not distinguished with certainty from those of 

 the latter. 



544a. San Lucas Sparrow. Passerculus rostratus 

 guttatus. 



Range. — Southern Lower California. 



A slightly darker form of the preceding, having identical 

 habits, and probably, eggs. 



544c. San Benito Sparrow. Passerculus rostratus 

 sanctorum. 



Range. — Breeds on San Benito Islands; winters in south- 

 ern Lower California. 



The nesting habits and eggs of these very similar sub- 

 species are identical. 



544 — 544c -,4,5 Baird's Sparrow. Ammodramus bairdi 



Range. — Plains, breeding from northern United States to 

 the Saskatchewan; south in winter to the Mexican border. 



These Sparrows breed abundantly on the plains of Dakota 

 and northward, placing their nest in hollows on the ground in 

 fields and along road sides. During June or July, they lay 

 three to five dull whitish eggs, blotched, splashed and spotted 

 with light shades of brown and gray. Size .80 x .60. White 



546. Grasshopper Sparrow 



Ammodramus savannarum austral is. 

 Range. — United States east of the Plains, 

 breeding from the Gulf to Canada. 



A stoutly built Sparrow marked on the upper 

 parts peculiarly, like a quail; nape grayish 

 and chestnut. These birds 

 are common in dry fields and 

 pastures, where their scarce- 

 ly audible, grasshopper-like 

 song is heard during the heat 

 of the day. Their nests are 

 White sunken in the ground and 



arched over so that they are very difficult to 

 find, especially as the bird will not flush until 

 nearly trod upon. The four or five eggs, laid in 

 June, are white, specked with reddish brown. 

 Size .72 x .55. 



A mmodram us sava nn a ru m b i m aculatu s 

 546a. Western Grasshopper Sparrow. 



Range. — West of the Plains from British 

 Columbia to Mexico. 



Slightly paler than the last; has the same 

 nesting habits; eggs indistinguishable. 



338 



Baird's Sparrow 



Grasshopper Sparrow 



