NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 255 



544b. Lagoon Sparrow. Passerculus rostratm halophilus. 

 Range. Salt marshes, Abreojos Point, Lower California. (Color Key.) 



544c. San Benito Sparrow. Passerculus rostratus sanctorum. 

 Range. Breeds on San Benito Islands; winters in southern Lower California. 

 The nesting habits and eggs of these very similar subspecies are identical. 



545. Baird Sparrow. Coturniculus bairdii. 



Range. Plains, breeding from northern United States to the Saskatchewan; 

 south in winter to the Mexican border. 



These Sparrows breed abundantly on the plains of Dakota 

 and northward, placing their nest in hollows on the ground in 

 fields and along road sides. During June or July, they lay 

 three to five dull whitish eggs, blotched, splashed and spotted 

 with light shades of brown and gray. Size .80 x .60. Data. 

 Crescent Lake, N. W. Canada., June 8, 1901. Nest in a tuft 

 of grass, a few inches above the ground; of grass, lined with 

 hair. Collector, Walter Raine. 



546. Grasshopper Sparrow. Coturniculus savannarum passerinus. 

 Range. United States east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf to Canada. 



A stoutly built Sparrow marked on the upper parts peculiar- 

 ly, like a quail; nape grayish and chestnut. These birds are 

 common in dry fields and pastures, where their scarcely aud- 

 ible, grasshopper-like song is heard during the heat of the day. 

 Their nests are sunken in the ground and arched over so that 

 fw , they are very difficult to find, especially as the bird will not 



flush until nearly trod upon. The four or five eggs, laid in 

 June, are white, specked with reddish brown. Size .72 x .55. 



546a. Western Grasshopper Sparrow. Coturniculus savannarum bimaculatus. 



Range. West of the Plains from British Columbia to Mexico. 



Slightly paler than the last; has the same nesting habits; eggs indistinguishable. 



546b. Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. Coturniculus savannarum floridaniix. 



Range. Central Florida. 



A local form, darker above and paler below than the common species. Eggs 

 not different in any particular. 



547. Henslow Sparrow. Ammodramus henslou //. 



Range. United States east of the Plains, breeding locally from Maryland 

 and Missouri north to Massachusetts and Minnesota. 



This species is similar in form and marking to the last, but 

 is olive green on the nape, and the breast and sides are streak- 

 ed with blackish. Their nesting habits are very similar to 

 those of the Grasshopper Sparrow, the nests being difficult to 

 find. The eggs are greenish white, spotted with reddish brown. 

 Size .75 x .55. Data. Lancaster, Mass., June 10, 1902. 

 eggs. Nest on the ground in a meadow; made of grasses and 

 lined with fine grass. Collector, John E. Thayer. 



547a. Western Henslow Sparrow. Ammodramus henslowii occidentalis. 



Range. A paler and very local form found in the Plains in South Dakota and 

 probably, adjoining states. 



Eggs not apt to differ from those of the preceding. 



