1 ' Till-: w i;s'i'i:k.\ \Ksi'i-:k sitiKuow. 



ci>rrcs|)<)nds roiij,Hily with tlic iiDrtliern extension of the Upper Sonoran zone, 

 with overflow into the adjacent Arid Transition. Altho prairie birds, they 

 are fond of scattered trees, fences, teIej,T''il>h jxiles, or anything which will 

 afford sntVicicnt elevation for the sweet sacrament of sonjj. 



This l)ird, more fre(|nently than others, is found sinjjinfj in the micMle of 

 the \ery hottest days in smnnier, and at such times his tremnlons notes c<jme 

 to the car like the jj^nrjjlinf; of sweet waters. But Ridgway's descrif>tion has 

 n<it l)een surpassed:" "This sonjj is com|)ose<l of a series of chants, each 

 syllable rich, loud, and clear, intersjK-r.sed with emotional trills. .\t the 

 IjCfjinninjj the song: reminds one somewhat of that of the Indipo Hird I I'as- 

 scriiui lytiiii'o )• but the notes arc louder and more metallic, and their delivery 

 more vigorous. Tho seemingly hurried, it is one continued gush of sjirightly 

 music; now gay, now melodious, and then tender Iwyond description. — the 

 very expression of emotion. At intervals the singer falters, as if exhausted by 

 exertion, and his voice l)econies scarcely audible: but suddenly reviving in his 

 joy, it is resumed in all its vigor, until he ap]>ears to be really overcome by 

 the effort." 



These gentle birds are evidently profiting somewhat by the human rnrcu- 

 l)ati<)n of the soil, and adapt themselves readily to changed conditions. They 

 are reported as breeding in the valley of the Willamette in Oregon, but we 

 have no records oi their occurrence in Washington west of the Cascades. • 



No. 3<>. 



westp:rn vespkr sparrow. 



A. ( ». r. No. 540a. Potecetes sramineus continis ISainl. 



Synonyms. — Wkstkrn Crass FrNcu. r..\v-wi.Nc.ui) r.rNTiNC. 



Description. — Adults: Ciciu-ral tone of uppcrparts slaty or grayish brown 

 on the edges of the feathers, modified by the dusky centers, and wanned by deli- 

 cate traces of rufous, bend of wing bay, concealing dusky centers: wings and 

 tail fuscous with pale tawny or whitish edgings, — outer tail-feathers principally 

 or entirely white, the next two pairs white, or not, in varying amount: below 

 sor(li<l white, sbarplv streaked on breast. Hanks, and sides with dusky brown; 

 the chin and throat with small arrow marks of the same color and l)ounded l)y 

 clijiiiis of streaks; auriculars clear hair-brown, with huffy or lighter center: 

 usually a huffy suffusion on slrcake<l area of breast and sides. Length of adult 

 male: 5.75-6.i5 ( 146.1-158.8) ; wing 3.29 (83.6) ; tail 2.5Q (65.8) ; bill .44 ( 11.2) ; 

 tarsus .85 (ji/i). b'eiuale a little smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — S]>arrow size: general streaked appearance: white 

 lateral tail-feathers conspicuous in tbght : fre<|uents fields and the open sage. 



Nesting. — Scst: on ground, usually in depression, neatly lined with grasses. 



•llird* of Illinois" Vol. I., p. i(,y 



