FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. H 



I have ever noticed of this egg, found iu the Capitol Grounds^ Washington, 

 measures .80 by .58 of an inch ; and the smallest, from Yarrell's Station, 6a., 

 measures .GU by .50. Their average measurement is about .70 by .54. They 

 are all much pointed at the smaller end. 



Spizella socialis, var. arizonsB, Coues. 



WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW. 



Spizella socialis, var. arizonas, CouE.s, P. A. N. S. 1866. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 207. 



Sp. Char. Similar to socialis, but tail and wing longer, the bill narrower, and colors 

 paler and grayer. Rufous of the crown lighter and less purplish, generally (always in 

 specimens from southern Rocky Mountains) with fine black streaks on the posterior part. 

 Ash of the cheeks paler, throwing the white of the superciliary stripe and throat into less 

 contrast. Black streaks of the back narrower, and without the rufous along their edges, 

 merely streaking a plain light brownish-gray ground-color. A strong ashy shade over 

 the breast, not seen in socialis ; wing-bands more purely white. Wing, 3.00; tail, 2.80; 

 bill, .36 from forehead, by .18 deep. (40,813 $, April 24, Fort Whipple, Ariz., Dr. Coues.) 



Hab. Western United States from Rocky Mountains to the Pacific ; south in winter 

 into Middle and Western Mexico. 



All the specimens of a large series from Fort Whipple, Arizona, as well 

 as most others from west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, agree 

 in the characters given above, as distinguished from eastern specimens of 

 socialis. The variations with age and season are simple parallels of those in 

 socialis. 



Habits. The references in the preceding article to the Chipping Sparrow 

 as occurring in the Middle and Western Provinces of the United States, are 

 to be understood as applying to the present race. 



Spizella pallida, Bonap. 



CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. 



Emheriza pallida, Sw. F. Bor.-Am. II, 1831, 251 (not of Audubon). Spizella pallida, 

 Bonap. List, 1838. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 474. Spinitcs pallidus, Cabanis, 

 Mus. Hein. 1851, 133. Embcriza shattucki, Arn. Birds Am. VII, 1843, 347, pi. 

 ccccxciii. Spizella shattucki, Bonap. Conspectus, 1850, 480. 



Sp. Char. Smaller than S. socialis. Back and sides of hind neck ashy. Prevailing 

 color above pale brownish-yellow, with a tinge of grayish. The feathers of back and 

 crown streaked conspicuously with blackish. Crown with a median pale ashy and a 

 lateral or superciliary ashy-white stripe. Beneath whitish, tinged with brown on the 

 breast and sides, and an indistinct narrow brown streak on the edge of the chin, cutting 

 off a light stripe above it. Ear-coverts brownish-yellow, margined above and below by 

 dark brown, making three dark stripes on the face. Bill reddish, dusky towards tip. 

 Legs yellow. Length, 4.75 ; wing, 2.55. 



