Notes on the Plumage of North American Sparrows 179 



characters by which they may be distinguished. Their ranges are given by 

 Professor Cooke in the preceding article. 



Pine-woods Sparrow (Peuccea cBsHvalis (Bstivalis, Fig. 2). — All three species 

 of PeuccBa agree in having the bend of the wing yellow, a mark which is wanting 

 in our species of Aimophila. In addition to this feature, the heavily washed 

 chest, in connection with the absence of maxillary streaks, distinguishes this 

 species. Its northern form, Bachman's Sparrow {Peuccea a. bachmani), has 

 much less black on the upperparts, which are sometimes only bay and gray. 



Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaa cassini, Fig. i). — The spotted or barred appear- 

 ance of the back is the diagnostic character of Cassin's Sparrow. Instead of 

 being centrally streaked, the feathers of the back have a narrow black bar 

 near the end. The general color of the plumage is decidedly paler than that of 

 the other birds ha\dng the bend of the wing yellow {Peuccea). 



Botteri's Sparrow {Peuccea botteri, Fig. 3). — This species most nearly resem- 

 bles the Pine-woods Sparrow, but is larger, pale above, and the breast is less 

 heavily washed. 



Rufous-winged Sparrow {Aimophila car palis, Fig. 4). — The chestnut- rufous 

 lesser wing-coverts, and the similarly colored, gray striped crown will serve 

 to identify this species, which bears a singularly close resemblance to a Western 

 Chipping Sparrow in winter plmnage. 



Rufous-crowned Sparrow {A imophila ruficeps ruficeps, Fig. 5) . — This species 

 may be known by its rufous cap, well-marked maxillary streaks, and absence 

 of black markings (less than Fig. 5 shows) in the back, together with the lack 

 of yellow on the bend of the wing. This is the California form. In southern 

 Lower California it is represented by the Laguna Sparrow (A. r. sororia), a 

 nearly related race, somewhat brighter above and with a slightly larger bill. 

 In Arizona there is a third form, Scott's Sparrow {A. r. scotti), which has the 

 underparts decidedly paler, the back with grayer margins; and in Texas a 

 fourth form, the Rock Sparrow {A. r. eremmca) has the crown darker, more 

 chestnut than in Scott's Sparrow, and the back still grayer. These races, how- 

 ever, can be satisfactorily identified only on comparison of specimens, but 

 since, during the nesting season, one is unlikely to find any two of them at 

 the same place, the locality at which a bird is found will, at this season, go a 

 long way toward determining to which particular race it belongs. 



