FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 361 



bars ; under parts white, sides of throat and chest spotted and blotched 

 with reddish brown ; flanks streaked with rufous. Young : 

 similar, but colors duller and marking's less sharply de- 

 fined. Male: length (skins) 5.94-6.80, wing- 3.40-3.61, tail 

 2.64-2.91, bill .42-.51. Female: leng-th (skins) 6.18-6.70, 

 wing; 3.30-3.46, tail 2.63-2.88, bill .42-.4S. 



Distribution. Northern North America, breeding from 

 Magdalen Islands to Bering- Sea ; south in winter to Florida, 

 middle Texas, and eastern base of Rocky Mountains. 



Nest. On ground or in bushes, made largely of moss 

 and leaves. Eggs: 3 to 5, bluish green spotted with red- 

 dish brown. 



Food. Insects, a large proportion of ragweed and polygonum seed, and 

 wild fruit. 



585a. P. i. unalaschcensis (Gmel.). TOWNSEND SPARROW.! 



Upper parts reddish brown, more or less mixed with slaty gray, becoming 

 dark brown or foxy on rump, wings, and 

 tail ; under parts white, thickly marked 

 with triangular spots of dark brown converg- ^^^"T 

 ing on breast. Male : length (skins) 6.50- 

 6.70, wing 3.28-3.39, tail 2.88-2.98, bill .49- Fig. 450. 



.50. Female: length (skins) 6.20-6.68, wing 3.14-3.19. tail 2.71-2.80, bill 

 .50-.52. 



Remarks. The dark reddish brown upper parts, converging spots on 

 the breast, and the long wings distinguish this subspecies. 



Distribution. Breeds on Alaskan peninsula and islands, and migrates 

 to southern California ; casually to Lower California. 



Nest. Near the ground in dense, thickets, made largely of moss and 

 leaves. Eggs : 3 or 4, pale bluish green, or greenish gray, speckled and 

 blotched with brown and lilac. 



The members of the genus Passerella are large, strongly marked 

 sparrows, with loud, rather rich voices. As the size and strength of 

 their feet show, they are diggers. A bird that I watched in Golden 



1 Mr. Ridgway has restricted unalaschcensis to Alaska and separated from it the form 

 which comes to northern California as townsendi, adding several new subspecies which 

 winter in California. 



Passerella iliaca insularis Ridgway. 



Like unalaschcensis, but back warm sepia brown, spots on chest large and deep brown, 

 under tail coverts strongly tinged with buff. 



Distribution. Kadiak Island (and Middleton Island ?), Alaska, in summer ; south to 

 California in winter. (The Auk, xvii. 31.) 



Passerella iliaca annectens Ridgway. YAKUTAT Fox SPARROW. 



Similar to insularis, but smaller, especially the bill, and coloration slightly browner. 



Distribution. Coast of Alaska, from Cross Sound to Prince William Sound (to Cook 

 Inlet ?), south in winter to California. (The Auk, xvii. 30.) 



Passerella iliacn meruloides (Vigors). 



Like insularis, but bill smaller and coloration throughout darker. 



Distribution. Breeds in Yakutat Bay district (?) and winters in Santa Cruz district. 

 (The Condor, iv. 45.) Perhaps a synonym of annectens. 



Passerella iliaca townsendi (Aud.). TOWNSEND SPARBOW. 



Like annectens, but darker, spots on chest larger. 



Distribution. Coast of southern Alaska ; in winter to northern California. 



Passerella iliaca fuliginosa Ridgway. SOOTY Fox SPARROW. 



Like townsendi, but darker and less rufescent, spots on under parts larger and more 

 confluent than in other forms. 



Distribution. ^- Breeds in coast district of southwestern British Columbia and north- 

 western Washington ; south in winter to coast of northern California. (The Auk, xvi. 36.) 



