512 APPENDIX. 



5.10 to 5.85 in length, by 9.10 to 9.85 in extent, averaging about 5.65 by 9.50. 

 The shortest-winged specimen was a female, expanding 8.85, though measuring 

 5.50 in length ; the wing ordinarily ranged from 2.75 to 3.00." 



Dr. Coues also furnishes the following account of the habits of this species, which 

 we print verbatim : — 



" Out of thirty-one specimens collected July 14 and 15, twenty-nine were males, 

 one female, and one young. This remarkable preponderance of males collected 

 was owing to the fact that these attracted my attention as they sat singing on the 

 tops of the weeds and low bushes ; the females being probably down in the grass, 

 incubating, or attending to their young, — at any rate not singing. In general 

 appearance and manners they were so similar to Savanna Sparrows (Passercidus 

 savanna) with which they were here associated, that they could only be distin- 

 guished at gunshot range after several days' close observation. The song resembles 

 that of the Savanna Sparrow, but may soon be learned ; it consists of two or three 

 chirps and an indefinite trill — zip, zip, zip, ztcrrrrrrr — in a mellow tinkling tone. 

 The birds rise from the gra^s with a quick flickering flight, seldom going far before 

 re-alighting. They remain in this portion of the country at least until October. 

 Though scattered over the prairie, they tend to gather in little colonies ; that is to 

 say, one might ride a mile or so without seeing any, and then find numbers in the 

 same spot. After leaving the prairie included in the bend of the Souris Puver, 

 none were seen on the Coteau de Missouri ; though this may have been owing to 

 the lateness of the season. Late in July I scared a female off" her nest on the 

 prairie : the bird ran slyly througli the grass, like a mouse, for some distance, be- 

 fore taking wing ; her actions being like those of Plectrophanes ornatus under simi- 

 lar circumstances. Unfortunately, however, the nest was not found ; but it will 

 almost certainly be found to be built upon the ground, like that of Poocoetes, Pas- 

 sercidus, and other allies." 



We learn by letter (dated October 7, 1873) from Mr. H. W. Henshaw, the natu- 

 ralist of Lieutenant Wheeler's expedition, that he has obtained (somewhere along 

 the line of their route, appai'ently in New Mexico, but the locality is not mentioned) 

 about thirty specimens of what he supposes to be this bird in the fall plumage. In 

 regard to their habits, Mr. Henshaw writes as follows : " It is essentially a plain 

 bird, with habits about half-way between those of the Savanna and Yellow-winged 

 Sparrows, both of which were abundant in the same locality." 



Plectrophanes ornatus (I, 520). The abundant material brought in by re- 

 cent collectors, among whom we may mention particulai'ly Mr. Allen (seQ Bull. Mus. 

 Comp. Zotil. Ill, No. 6, p. 135) and Dr. Coues, throws additional light upon the 

 relationship of this species and P. ^^ melanomus" (I, 521), and affords conclusive 

 evidence of their identity. The latter is merely a high stage of plumage, with the 

 lesser coverts deep black, instead of brown as in midsummer, and rufous borders 

 to the black feathers of the lower parts, which become worn off in midsummer. 



Passerculus alaudinus (I, 537). Dr. Cooper informs me that in July, 

 1873, he found young but fully fledged birds of this species quite common along 

 the beach near Santa Barbara,, and where, possibly, they may have been mistaken 

 by Dr. Heermann for P. rostratus. One he shot closely resembled in plumage the 

 young Melospiza heermanni. They had been, without doubt, hatched on the 



