THE BIRD BOOK 



550d. Macgillivray's Seaside Sparrow. 



Passerherbuhis maritimus macgillivrai. 



Range. — Coast of South Carolina. Like 

 fisheri but grayer. 



551. Dusky Seaside Sparrow 

 hul us nigrescens. 



Passerher- 



Range. — Marshes of Indian River near Titus- 

 ville. Florida. 



This species is the darkest of the genus, both 

 above and below, being nearly black on the 

 upperparts. Their habits are like those of the 

 others and the eggs are not likely to differ. 



552. Lark Sparrow. Chondestes gramma 

 cus grammacus. 



Range. — Mississippi Valley from the Plains 

 to Illinois and casually farther east, and from 

 Manitoba to Texas; winters in Mexico. 



This handsome Sparrow has the sides of the crown and ear 

 patches chestnut, and the sides of the throat and a spot on the 

 breast, black. They are sweet singers and very welcome birds 

 in their range, where they are quite abundant. Their nests 

 are generally placed on the ground in the midst of or under a 

 clump of weeds or tuft of grass, but sometimes in bushes or 

 even trees; they are made of grasses and weeds and the eggs, 

 which are usually laid in May, are white marked chiefly 

 about the large end with blackish zigzag lines and spots. 



White 



Size .80 x .60. 

 552a. Western Lark Sparrow. Chondestes grammacus strigatus. 



Range. — United States west of the Plains; 

 breeds from British Columbia to Mexico. 



This paler and duller colored variety is com- 

 mon on the Pacific coast; its habits and nests 

 and eggs are like those of the last. 



553. Harris's Sparrow. 

 Zonotrichia querula. 



Range.— Mississippi Valley, chiefly west, 

 breeding in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the 

 exact range being unknown. 



Although the birds are 

 abundant during migrations, 

 they seem to suddenly and 

 strangely disappear during 

 the breeding season. Sup- 

 posed nests have been found 

 a few inches above the ground 

 in clumps of grass, the eggs 

 being whitish, thickly spotted 

 with shades of brown. Size .85 x .65. 



342 



Whitish 



Harris's Sparrow 



