48 U. S. p. R. E. EXr. AND SURVEYS — ROUTE TO CALIFORNIA. 



ZONOTRICHIA GAMBELII, NutL—Gambel's Finch. 



Fringilla gamheUi, Nuttall, Man. I, 2(1 ed. 55C. 

 Zimotrichia gambelii, Baibd, Gen. Rep. IX, 460. 



Abundant, being found in the most arid parts of the country during the fall, at which time 

 they are migrating southward. I have procured this bird in very young plumage in the month 

 of July near San Francisco, showing thereby that it sometimes breeds in California. It was our 

 almost constant companion during the survey under Lieutenant Parke, through Mexico, New 

 Mexico, and in Texas. 



ZONOTRICHIA CORONATA, Pallas .—Black and Yellow-crowned Finch. 



Fringilla atricapilla, AuD. B. of A. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 1G2, pi. 19.3. 



Emheriza alricapitta, AuD. B. of A. Fol. pi. 394, fig. 3.— Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. I, part 11, p. 875. 



Zanotrichia coronala, Baird, Gen. Rep. IX, 461. 



This species appears abundant in the fall season, being generally associated with the white- 

 crowned finch and the California song sparrow. Resorting to the deep shady thickets and 

 woods, where it passes the greater part of the time, and in the mountainous districts, it prefers 

 the hill sides covered with dense undergrowth. It occasionally breeds in California. I found 

 its nest in a bush near Sacramento City. It was composed of coarse stalks of weeds, and lined 

 internally with fine roots. The eggs, four in number, are ashy white, marked with lines of 

 brown umber, sometimes appearing black from the depth of their shades, and covered also with 

 a few neutral tint spots. 



CHONDESTES GRAMMACA, Say .—Prairie Lark Finch. 



Emheriza grammaca, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 63, pi. 158. 



Fringilla grammaca, Bonap. Am. Orn. vol. I, p. 47, pi. V, fig. 3. — Long's E.xp. to Rooky Mts. vol. I, p. 139. 



This species is numerous in California, in New Mexico, and in Texas. Arriving in this latter 

 country in May, I found this bird mated and about to commence the duties of incubation. 



SPIZELLA SOCIALIS, Wilson .—Chipping Sparrow. 



Frinirilla socialis, Wits. Am. Orn. vol. II, p. 127, pi. 16, fig. 3.— Nutt. Orn. vol. I, p. 497.— Aud. B. of A. Fol. pi. 104 . 

 Embcriza socialis, Atu. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 80, pi. 105. 



Abundant. 



SPIZELLA PALLIDA, S w a i n s .—Clay-colored Sparrow. 



Emheriza pallida, Rich. & Sw. Fau. Bor. Am. vol. II, p. 251.— Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 71, pi. 161.— Fol. pi. 



398, fig. 2. 



These birds we met with throughout our entire route in California and Texas. On the passage 

 from the Pimos villages to Tucson, we noticed large flocks gleaning their food among the bushes, 

 as they travelled south. In Tejon valley, during the fall season, we constantly saw them 

 associated with large flocks of sparrows, congrega cd about the Indian cultivated fields, where 

 they find a bountiful supply of seed and grain, passing, like the rest of the Fringillidae, the 

 greater portion of their time on the ground for this purpose. 



