FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 359 



and below blackish and narrower, contrasting more sharply with the 

 ground color ; about the size of samuelis, but with shorter tail and larger 

 feet. Young : like those of montana, with grayish instead of brownish 

 ground color. Male: length (skins) 5.18-5.4(5, wing 2.29-2.41, tail 2.11- 

 2.31, bill .4T-.49. Female: length (skins) 5.30-5.48, wing 2.30-2.37, tail 

 2.19-2.31, bill .4G-.47. 



Distribution. Santa Barbara Islands, and, in winter, adjacent mainland 

 of California. 



5811. M. m. clementse (Towns.). SAN CLEMENTE SONG SPARROW. 



Similar in color and markings to graminea, but much larger, the bill 

 longer. Male : length (skins) 5.70-6.18, wing 2.45-2.60, tail 2.35-2.64, 

 bill .4T-.49. Female: length (skins) 5.44-5.81, wing 2.40-2.50, tail 2.39- 

 2.50, bill .45-.50. 



Distribution. San Clemente, San Miguel, and Santa Rosa Islands, Cali- 

 fornia ; and Coronados Islands, Lower California. 



581k. M. m. merrilli (Brewst.). MERRILL SONG SPARROW. 



Similar to morphna, but with smaller bill and ground color of upper 

 parts lighter and more ashy ; dark markings especially on back 

 blacker and more sharply defined ; the white of under parts clearer and 

 more extended. Male : length (skins) 5.65-6.40, wing 2.56-2.75, tail 2.51- 

 2.83, bill .45-.51. Female : length (skins) 5.48-6.21, wing 2.50-2.68, tail 

 2.40-2.76, bill .44-.50. 



Remarks. Merrilli is like montana, but slightly darker and more uni- 

 form above, the gray and brown of interscapulars less strongly contrasted. 



Distribution. Breeds from Fort Sherman, Idaho, south through Oregon 

 and Washington east of Cascades to northern California ; migrates to 

 Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and northern Sonora. 



583. Melospiza lincolnii (Aud.). LINCOLN SPARROW. 



Adults. Upper parts dark brown and olive, finely and sharply streaked 

 with black ; crown with light median stripe ; malar 

 region, chest, and sides buffy ; sides and broad buffy 

 chest band narrowly streaked with black. Young: 

 colors more suffused and streaks less sharply de- Fig. 448. 



fined. Male: length (skins) 4.88-5.76, wing 2.26- 



2.62, tail 2.07-2.44, bill .41 -.47. Female : length (skins) 4.54-5.43, wing, 

 2.15-2.45, tail 2.01-2.34, bill .3S-.46. 



Distribution. Breeds in Boreal zone of North America from Fort 

 Yukon east to York Factory, Hudson Bay, and south to the higher parts 

 of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada ; winters from southern United 

 States to Panama. 



Nest. On the ground, made of grass. Eggs : as described by Davie, 

 light greenish white, heavily marked, chiefly around larger end, with 

 chestnut and lavender gray. 



Food. Mainly insects and grass and weed seed. 



The Lincoln sparrow might be mistaken for a song sparrow but for 

 his buffy chest band, finely penciled breast, and wholly individual, 

 vibrant song. 



Willows in mountain meadows attract him, and when you sur- 

 prise him on a willow stalk with his bill full of insects for his brood, 



