° 1919 J Taverner, Birds of Red Deer River, Alta. 257 



migrant by Farley at Red Deer and Camrose. Horsbrough records 

 spring birds under title of S. m. ochracea. 



131.* Spizella passerina. Chipping Sparrow. — Unexpectedly ab- 

 sent from the upper parts of the river. Young reported one at Camp 4 

 but it was not until we reached Camp 1 1 on the Little Sandhill Creek that 

 we met them again. Here they were quite common and remained so until 

 the first week in September. Four specimens from Camp 11, July 20, 27 

 and 28. I refer them to S. p. arizonce. 



132.* Spizella pallida. Clay-colored Sparrow. — Common every- 

 where along the river, — the only generally common sparrow. Specimens 

 from Camps 1, 5 and 11. 



133.* Junco hyemalis. Slate-colored Junco. — Fairly common 

 and breeding as far down the river as Camp 4, near Nevis. Below, they 

 became less numerous and none were seen below Camp 6 at Tolman's 

 Ferry, until the migrants came in September 17. Specimens from Camps 

 1 and 11. These birds show no tendency towards either pink sides or 

 red backs and can only be referred to J. h. hyemalis. 



134.* Melospiza melodia. Song Sparrow. — Common throughout 

 the entire trip. 15 specimens from Camps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11; also 

 one July 20, Morrin, — Geo. Sternberg. Though much more worn and 

 hardly comparable with other material on hand, these specimens are just 

 what would be expected from much abraded juddi. Specimens from 

 Camps 5, 8 and 11 and Morrin are considerably darker than the others, 

 reversing the expectation that light not dark birds would be found in the 

 more arid sections. Horsbrough lists his specimens as M. m. melodia. 

 It is not evident whether he has considered juddi or not. 



135.* Melospiza lincolni. Lincoln's Sparrow. — Not seen until 

 August 25 at Camp 11 on the Little Sandhill Creek. They gradually 

 grew more common until September 5 when they became very numerous 

 in open woods and low lands and especially so on the prairie level. One 

 specimen irom Camp 11. Though not mentioned by Horsbrough, Farley 

 regards Lincoln's Sparrow as a not uncommon breeder at both Red Deer 

 and Camrose, saying, — " It appears to be regularly distributed but not 

 thickly. I can always depend on hearing at least one every few miles in 

 scrubby country and have watched a pair all through the summer in the 

 same brush so am sure they breed." 



136. Melospiza georgiana. Swamp Sparrow. — Reported by Farley 

 from Red Deer as not common. 



137.* Passerella iliaca. Fox Sparrow. — Reported by W. E. 

 Saunders at Red Deer in June 1906, in 'Catalogue Canadian Birds,' — J. 

 and J. M. Macoun, 1909, not seen by us. Farley says, — " The Fox Sparrow 

 is a regular breeder in localities. Have known several places where they 

 breed regularly, — as many as a dozen pairs on a mile square. In such 

 places their song is the commonest of any bird." These are probably P. i. 

 iliaca. 



138.* Pipilo maculatus. Spotted Towhee. — Towhees were not 



