240 FRINGILLID^ : FINCHES. 



her treasures. The eggs are difficult to describe, 

 being so motley in coloration, and so variable also in the 

 extent and intensity of the markings. The ground- 

 color, when not entirely obscured by confluent mark- 

 ings, is seen to be pale dull greenish, or some inde- 

 finable whitey-brovvn color. Some specimens are very 

 heavily and uniformly overlaid with chocolate-brown 

 blotches, mostly large and confluent ; others are less 

 closely clouded, having the blotches chiefly at the 

 great end, and only dots elsewhere. The eggs most 

 nearly resemble those of the Grass Finch, but are 

 somewhat smaller, and usually darker — in fact, the 

 Savanna's eggs are about the most heavily-colored of 

 any Sparrow's, sometimes almost like a Titlark's in 

 intensity and uniformity of the chocolate shade. They 

 are four or five in number, about 0.70X0.50 in size; 

 they are laid late in May, and again in July. 



BAY-WINGED BUNTING; GRASS FINCH. 



POCECETES GRAMINEUS {Gill.) Bd. 



Chars. Above, thickly streaked everywhere ; the same on the sides 

 below and across the breast. No yellow anywhere ; lesser wing- 

 coverts chestnut ; two or three outer tail-feathers partly or wholly 

 white. Above, gray, the feathers dusky-centred and pale-edged ; 

 below, white, usually with a buffy tinge, very thickly streaked 

 with dusky brown across the breast and along tlie sides. Crown 

 like the back, without evident median light stripe, but a whitish 

 supraciliary line and eye-ring. More or less bright bay on the 

 wings. Bill dark above, pale below ; feet pale. A large, stout, 

 full-chested Sparrow, easily recognized by the chestnut on the 

 bend of the wing, and the white feathers that show when the 

 tail is flirted in flight. Length, 5.75-6.25 ; extent, 10.50 ; wing, 

 2.90-3.25 ; tail, 2.25-2.75. ,/ 



