THE SLATE-COLORED SPARROW. 156 
dead spruce twigs with a few twisted weed stalks; while the lining is of a 
light-colored, fine, dead grass, very loosely arranged, and a few breast- 
feathers of the Glaucous-winged Gull. A nestful of young Peregrine 
Falcons were conversing in screams with their doting parents in the spruce 
trees overhead, and terrorizing the island thereby; but the Sooty ‘Fox 
Sparrows stepped forward modestly to claim ownership in the nest which 
“Science” unfortunately required. The date was July 21, 1906, and the 
eggs were nearly upon the point of hatching. 
Thus, the north and west slopes of the Olympic Mountains, together 
with the islands of lower Puget Sound, appear to mark the southern breeding 
range of the coastal Fox Sparrows. This form has not been reported 
breeding upon the mainland east of Puget Sound, but it is difficult to see 
why it should not do so. It is rather the commonest form during the spring 
and fall migrations, and there is no evidence as yet that it tarries with us 
in winter. 
No. 63. 
SLATE-COLORED SPARROW. 
A. O. U. No. 585 c. Passerella iliaca schistacea (Baird). 
Synonym.—S LATE-COLORED Fox SPARROW. 
Description.—Adults: Upperparts slaty gray tinged with olivaceous, chang- 
ing abruptly to russet brown on upper tail-coverts, and tail; wings brown bright- 
ening, more rusty, on edges of greater coverts and secondaries; some white 
fleckings below eye, and supraloral spot dull whitish; underparts white shaded 
with color of back on sides; the sides of throat, chest, and sides of breast heavily 
and distinctly marked with triangular spots of sepia; lower breast (and some- 
times middle of throat) flecked, and sides and flanks striped, with the same 
shade; under tail-coverts grayish brown centrally edged broadly with buffy. 
Young birds are tinged with brown above and are duller white below with less 
distinct markings. Length of adult male 7.00-7.50 (177.8-190.5); wing 3.15 
(80) ; tail 3.15 (80); bill .47 (12) ; tarsus .92 (23.3). 
Recognition Marks.—Sparrow to Chewink size; slaty gray and brown 
coloration above with heavy spotting on breast distinctive; gray instead of brown 
on back as compared with the five members of the wnalaschensis group. 
Nesting.—Nest: a bulky affair of twigs, weed-stalks, grasses, etc., placed 
on ground or low in bushes of thicket. Eggs: 3-5, usually 4, greenish brown 
sharply spotted or (rarely) blotched with chestnut. Avy. size .85x.65 (21.6x 
16.5). Season: May-July; two broods. 
General Range.—Rocky Mountain district of United States and British 
Columbia west to and including the Cascade Mountains, the White Mountains 
