346 



Richmond, The Westerrt Field Sparrow. 



TAuk 

 LOct. 



uniformly paler color of the former, with broader gray streak on 

 the crown and almost completely gray ear-coverts. The tail is 

 much longer, and the wings usually so, although in some indi- 

 viduals of the eastern bird this measurement nearly equals that 

 of arenacea. The bill, as a rule, is somewhat larger in the western 

 form, but not invariably so. The measurements of a typical 

 western specimen and of an average eastern bird are given below : 



Texan and Mississippi Valley specimens of the Field Sparrow 

 have a tendency to longer wings and tails than the eastern birds, 

 but frequently without any corresponding paleness of plumage. 

 Some of the Texan birds are, however, appreciably paler, but not 

 enough so, and also too small, to refer to arenacea. 



Worthen's Sparrow differs from both forms of the Field Sparrow 

 in the total absence of a mesial gray crown stripe and brown post- 

 ocular stripe, as well as in some minor details. The wings and 

 tail are shorter than in arenacea, but longer than in average picsilla. 



The geographical range of the Western Field Sparrow as defined 

 in the last edition of the A. O. U. ' Check- List ' is " Great Plains, 

 from Texas to Montana and Dakota. Casual at New Orleans, 

 La." The Louisiana specimen was shot in the winter of 1890-91, 

 and was reported by Mr. Chapman to be a typical one (Auk, 1891, 

 318). Notwithstanding the rather extensive distribution of this 

 form, little appears to be known of its habits or nesting, although 

 we may safely consider them to be quite like those of the Field 

 Sparrow. Specimens of the bird itself are not by any means 

 numerous in collections. 



Mr. J. P. N [orris], has described eggs from Texas purporting 

 to be those of this form ^ as indistinguishable " in size and general 

 appearance " from those of Spizella pusilla. This record formed 

 the basis of Mr. Davie's reference in his ' Nests and Eggs. ' It 



'Ornithologist and Oologist, XIII, Dec. 1888, 188. 



