25. 
% 
FRINGILLIDA: FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, ETC. 361 
gated, rarely equalling the primaries in the closed wings. First 4 quills about equal and longest. 
Hind toe and claw about equalling the middle toe and claw, its claw about equalling the digit. 
Tail shorter than wing, lightly double-rounded (central and outer pair of feathers both a little 
shorter than the intermediate ones). Top of head streaked with black and rich brownish- 
yellow, or buff, the former predominating laterally, the latter chiefly as a median stripe, but 
also suffusing the nape and sides of head in greater or less degree. Back varied with 
brownish-black and gray, together with a little bay, the two latter colors forming the edg- 
ings of the interscapulars and scapulars. Rump variegated with gray and chestnut-brown, 
different in shade from that of the back. Under parts dull white, usually with a faint 
ochrey tinge on the breast, but often without; a circlet of small, sharp, sparse, dusky streaks 
across the breast, continuous with others, longer and mostly lighter, along the whole sides, and 
with others, again, extending up the sides of the neck into small vague maxillary and auricular 
markings. When the feathers are perfectly arranged these lateral head-markings are seen to 
be a post-ocular stripe just over the auriculars, a post-auricular spot, a streak starting from the 
angle of the mouth, and another heavier one parallel 
with and below this, running directly into the pec- 
toral ones. Quills without special markings, except- 
ing the elongated inner secondaries, which correspond 
with the scapulars. Tail the same, slightly whitish- 
edged. Upper mandible mostly dark, lower pale. 
Feet flesh-colored. Length 5.10-5.85, averaging 
5.67; extent 8.60-9.85, average 9.50; wing 2.75- 
3.00; tail 2.00-2.25; culmen about 0.40; tarsus 
about 0.75 ; middle toe and claw, and hind toe and 
claw, each, rather less; 9 averages rather smaller. 
Autumnal plumage: Soft, with brighter, more suf- 
fused colors, in bolder pattern. Whole top and sides 
of head, as well as nape and part of neck, suffused 
with rich buff, in many instances as bright a golden- 
brown as that on the head of Stwrus auricapillus. A ANN AES; 
paler, rather ochraceous shade of the same also suffus- Fic. 226.—Baird’s Savanna Sparrow, re- 
ing the whole fore under-parts. Pectoral and lateral “ced. (Sheppard -del. Nichols sc.) 
dusky streaks, as well as the two rows on each side of the throat, large, heavy, diffuse. Bay 
and whitish edgings of the secondaries broad and conspicuous, contrasting with the black central 
fields. Whitish edgings of tail-feathers the same ; and, in general, the same character is stamped 
over allthe upper plumage. Newly-fledged young have each feather of the dorsal plumage con- 
spicuously bordered with white, producing a set of semicircles, much as in Neocorys spraguii. 
There is the same general buffy suffusion of the head and fore parts as in autumnal adults, 
but the tint is dull and ochrey. The markings below have a short, broad, guttiform character. 
When just from the nest, the edging of the secondaries and tail-feathers is of a peculiar pinkish- 
rusty shade. Central Plains, U. 8.; N. to British Provinces; E. nearly to Red River of the 
North ; S. to Texas, N. Mex. and Arizona; W. to the Rocky Mts., and beyond. An interesting 
sparrow, long almost unknown till I found it breeding in profusion in Dakota, taking 75 speci- 
mens one season. In general habits and appearance in life quite like savanna sparrows ; mix- 
ing freely with these and Neocorys, Hremophila, and Plectrophanes ornatus. Song peculiar, of 
two or three tinkling syllables and a trill, like zip-zip-zip-zr-r-r-r. Nest on ground, a slight 
structure of grasses and weed-stalks, about 4 inches across ; eggs 5, 0.80 & 0.65, white, irregu- 
larly speckled and blotehed with pale and dark reddish-browns, laid in June and July. 
P. prin’ceps. (Lat. princeps, chief.) Ipswich SAVANNA Sparrow. (@: General appear- 
ance of a large savanna sparrow, but with a resemblance to a bay-winged bunting. Upper 
