we ‘THE MERRILL SONG SPARROW. 
No. 56. 
MERRILL’S SONG SPARROW. 
A. O. U. No. 581k. Melospiza melodia merrilli (Brewster). 
Synonyms.—Dusky SONG SPARROW. SILVER-TONGUE. 
Description.—Characters intermediate between those of M. m. montana and 
M.m. morphna. In general, darker than preceding with plumage more blended, 
proportion of gray in back about one-third; lighter than next, not so brown, 
streakings more distinct. 
Nesting.—Nest: a substantial structure of twigs, grasses, coiled bark-strips, 
dead leaves, etc. ; lined carefully with fine dead grass, rootlets or horse-hair, placed 
indifferently in bushes or on the ground. Eggs: 4-6, usually 5, greenish-, grayish-, 
or bluish-white, heavily spotted and blotched with reddish browns which some- 
times conceal the background. Av. size .83 x .61 (21x15.5). Season: April- 
July; two or three broods. 
General Range.—The eastern slopes of the Cascades from northern Cali- 
fornia to southern British Columbia, east (at least) to northern Idaho. 
Range in Washington.—East-side—theoretically inclusive. Specimens from 
the central valleys of the Cascades may be called morphna and those from the 
Palouse country montana, at pleasure. 
Authorities.—. fasciata guttata, Brewster, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, VII. 
MOS 252 2720220 ee) ea Seem 
Specimens.—P'. 
THIS, the connecting link between montana and morphna, is the char- 
acteristic Song Sparrow of eastern Washington, and abounds along timbered 
water courses and in all cultivated districts. While closely resembling the 
Rusty Song Sparrow of the West-side, it may be distinguished from it by 
the sharper color pattern of its plumage; and the points of divergence from 
montana are maintained with substantial uniformity, at least along the 
eastern slopes of the Cascades, and in the northern tier of counties. 
Altho subjected to considerable rigors in winter, this species is partially 
resident, being largely confined during the cold season to the shelter of tule 
beds, wild rose thickets, clematis bowers, and the like. Nesting begins about 
the second week in April and continues with undiminished ardor till July 
or August. Incubation requires twelve days, and the young are ready to 
fly in as many more, so that a devoted pair is able to raise three and some- 
times four broods in a season. 
At this rate we should be overrun with Song Sparrows if there were 
not so many agencies to hold the species in check. A young Song Sparrow 
