FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 45 



He adds that, in his absence, Dr. Heermann procured the eggs of this species 

 on the Medina, and wiiile he was himself travelling in July towards Loredo, 

 he found a nest which he was fully confident belonged to this bird. It was 

 placed in a low bush not above a foot from the ground, and in its construc- 

 tion resembled that of the Poospiza hilineata. The eggs were three in num- 

 ber, pure white, closely agreeing with those taken by Dr. Heermann, and 

 larger and more elongated than those of the hilineata. 



An egg of this species, taken in Texas by Dr. H. E. Storer, the identifica- 

 tion of wliich, however, was incomplete, is more oblong than the eggs of P. 

 cestivalis, and smaller, measuring .72 by .58 of an inch. It is pure white 

 also. 



Peucsea ruflceps, Baird. 



RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW. 



Ammodromus ruficeps, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. VI, Oct. 1852, 184 (California). — Ie. lUust. 

 I, V, 1854, 135, pi. XX. Pcuccea ruficeps, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 486. — Cooper, 

 Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 218. 



Sp. Char. Above brownish-ashy. The crown and nape uniform brownish-chestnut, 

 the interscapular region and neck with the feathers of this color, except around the 

 margins. A superciliary ashy stripe, whiter at the base of the bill. Beneath pale 

 yellowish-brown, or brownish-yellow, darker and more ashy across the breast and on the 

 sides of body ; middle of belly and chin lighter ; the latter with a well-marked line of 

 black on each side. Edge of wing white. Under tail-coverts more rufous. Legs 

 yellow. Length, 5.50 ; wing, 2.35 ; tail, 2.85. 



Hab. Coast of California, to Mexico ; ? Oaxaca, March (Scl. 1859, 380) ; ? Vera Cruz, 

 temperate region ; resident (Sum. M. B. S. I, 552). 



This plainly colored species has the bill rather slender ; tail rather long, 

 and considerably rounded ; the outer feathers .40 of an inch shorter than 

 the middle ; the feathers soft, and rounded at the tip. The wing is short ; 

 the primaries not much longer than the tertials ; the second, third, fourth, 

 and fifth nearly equal ; the first scarcely longer than the secondaries. 



There is a blackish tinge on the forehead, separated by a short central 

 line of white, as in Spizella socialis. The eyelids are whitish, and there is a 

 short black line immediately over the upper lid. There is a faint chestnut 

 streak back of the eye. The chestnut of the nape is somewhat interrupted 

 by pale edgings. The blotches on the back melt almost insensibly into the 

 colors of the margins of the feathers. The outer edges of the secondaries 

 and tertials, and the outer surface of the tail, are yellowish-rusty. 



This bird is similar in general appearance to the P. aestivalis, but has the 

 head above more continuous chestnut ; the black cheek-stripe more distinct, 

 and the edge of wing whitish, not yellow, tlie bill more slender. A Mexican 

 specimen has a stouter bill. 



The P. houcardi of Sclater (= ruficeps, var. honcardi; see table, p. 634), from 

 Mexico, is exceedingly similar, it being very difficult to present the differences 



