NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 51 



the United States is one of the most widely distributed of all our birds. 

 It is found from ocean to ocean in its two races, and breeds from Georgia 

 to the Arctic Circle. It seldom, if ever, and then only for a freak, nests 

 on the ground, often in trees of any size, bushes and vines being his 

 choice. For the most part the nest is composed of black horse hair, with a 



foundation of grass and vegetable fibres. Hab. Histem Province of North America. 



211a. Western Chipping Sparrovv^ — spizella domestica Arizona. 

 Eggs in my collection do not seem to differ essentially from those of the 

 preceding species. Nesting habits same as those of domestica. 



Hab. Western Province of United States from the Rocky Mts. to Pacific Coast. 



212. Clay-colored Sparrow — spizella pallida. Light green, scan- 

 tily and sharply speckled with sienna and other rich shades of brown, dot- 

 ting chiefly confined to the larger end, with a speck here and there over 

 the general surface, similar to the markings in the Chippy's &%^\ three or 

 four in number, and average .6'^ by .52. The nest is described as 

 being placed on a small horizontal branch seven or eight feet from the 

 ground, and also in the broken and hollow branches of trees. It is 

 formed of grasses, with a lining of horse or cattle hair, similar to the nest of 

 the Chipping Sparrow. 



Hab. Upper Missouri River and high central plains to the Saskatchewan country. 



213. Brewer's Sparrow — spizella breweri. Bluish-green, blotched 

 in scattered markings of golden-brown, more conspicuous than in those 

 of the Chipping Sparrow; usually four in number; size .70 by .52. This 

 bird has very much the appearance of the Clay-colored Sparrow. It is 

 found from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains, and from the north- 

 ern portion of California to the Rio Grande and Mexico, and is especially 

 abundant in Arizona and New Mexico. It inhabits almost exclusively 

 open fields and bushy plains. The nests are placed in bushes, usually sage 

 bushes, a few feet from the ground. It is composed of dry grasses, root- 

 lets, and lined with hair. Hab. Rocky Mountains of United states to the Pacific coast. 



214. Field Sparrow — spizella pusilla. Whitish clay-color, marked 

 more or less fully with blotches of reddish brown; in some these markings 

 are scattered, in others confluent about the larger end ; four or five, from 

 .61 to .70 in length, and .50 to .55 in breadth. In the breeding season 

 this bird is distributed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, 

 between the latitudes of the White Mountains and South Carolina. The 

 nest is placed on the ground, in a tussock of grass, or in a low bush a few 

 inches above the ground. It is composed of grass, with a foundation of 



dead leaves and a lining of hair. Hab. Eastern United states to the Missouri River. 



