AVERY BIRD COLLECTION 85 



weed. My attention was at once attracted by the tail 

 marking, as well as by the peculiar way that it erected 

 the crown-feathers into a crest, as the meadow lark often 

 does. I had no gun this time, but I examined the bird 

 with my field glass, and could see the white superciliary 

 lines and the streaked crown. From the markings of 

 the head ^nd tail, and the size of the sparrow, I identified 

 it as Chondestes grammacus (Say), the lark sparrow." 

 (1889b). 



"Not common. It has been observed in July and Aug- 

 ust. It may breed here, though this belief is without 

 other foundation than finding the bird here in July with 

 its young. Found chiefly in the black lands (cane- 

 brake), in the southern part of the county." (1891a). 



No. 583. Female. Greensboro. Aug. 16, 1890. W. C. Avery. 

 No. 665. Female. Greensboro. Sept. 11, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



134. ZONOTRICHIA ALBICOLLIS (Gmelin). 

 White-throated Sparrow. 



The first white-throats are recorded under date of Jan. 

 20, 1878, when two were taken at Greensboro. The stom- 

 ach of one "contained seeds" and the other "gravel and 

 Indian corn meal." Concerning them the Doctor wrote: 

 "Winter visitant. One of our commonest sparrows in 

 winter." 



In 1891 the following note was published: "Abundant. 

 Winter resident." (1891a). 



No. 256. Female. Greensboro. Nov. 4, 1889. W. C. Avery. 



No. 319. Male. Greensboro. Dec. 19, 1889. W. C. Avery. 



No. 373. Female. Greensboro. Feb. 19, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 394. Female. Greensboro. Mar. 2, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 813. Female. Greensboro. Mar. 17, 1891. W. C. Avery. 



No. 819. Female. Greensboro. Apr. 11, 1891. W. C. Avery. 



No. 1102. Female. Greensboro. Oct. 27, 1893. W. C. Avery. 



135. SPIZELLA PASSERINA PASSERINA (Bechstein). 

 Chipping Sparrow. 



April 6, 1887, Dr. Avery recorded his first chippie with 

 the following note which furnishes an additional example 

 of his early difficulties with the sparrows : "Specimen 

 shot with three others feeding on the ground in a large 

 flock. One of the remaining three was Spizella ptisilla 



