FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 363 



6.23-7.16, wing 3.08-3.43, tail 2.88-3.43, bill .44-.50. Female: length 

 (skins) 6.02-6.58, wing 3.02-3.21, bill 45-.50. 



Distribution. Breeds in Transition zone in the Rocky 

 Mountain region of British Columbia and the United States ; 

 from Colorado to California ; wanders in winter to Kansas, 

 Arizona, Nevada, and California. Fig. 452. 



Nest. Usually less than 3 feet from the ground, bulky Slate-colored 

 and well made of plant fibers, willow bark, and grass, lined Sparrow, 

 with horsehair. Eggs : usually 4, green or olive buff, marked with purple 

 and browns. 



585 d. P. i. Stephens! Anthony. STEPHENS SPARROW. 



Like megarhyncha, but averaging larger, with much larger 

 bill. Male: length (skins) 6.61-7.34, wing 3.30-3.37, tail 

 3.17-3.58, bill .59-. 65. Female: length (skins) 6.61-6.92, 

 wing 3.13-3.30, tail 3.10-3.41, bill .52-59. 



Distribution. Mountains of southern California. 

 Fig. 453. 



GENUS ARREMONOPS. 



586. Arremonops ruflvirgatus (Lawr.). TEXAS SPARROW. 



Tail shorter than wing ; wing short and much rounded. Adults : upper 

 parts plain olive green, wings and tail brighter ; top of head with wide 

 olive median stripe bordered by dark brown or blackish brown stripes ; 

 superciliary grayish ; lores and stripe back of eye brown ; edge of wing 

 bright yellow ; under parts dull whitish, chest, sides, and flanks tinged 

 with pale buffy. Young : dull brownish ; head without distinct stripes ; 

 wings and tail with greenish edgings ; belly buffy or fulvous. Male : length 

 (skins) 5.30-6.00, wing 2.45-2.65, tail 2.45-2.75, bill .4S-.55. Female : length 

 (skins) 5.50-5.85, wing 2.32-2.45, tail 2.23-2.50, bill .47-52. 



Distribution. Valley of the Lower Rio Grande, in Texas, and eastern 

 Mexico ; casually to Louisiana. 



Nest. In open thickets, made of dried weed stems, bark, grasses, and 

 leaves, sometimes lined with hair. Eggs : 4, dull white. 



GENUS PIPILO. 



General Characters. Bill moderate ; wings short, greatly rounded ; 

 primaries exceeding secondaries usually by much less than bill ; tail long, 

 rounded ; feet large and strong, claws stout, and much curved. 



KEY TO ADULT MALES. 



1. Upper parts light grayish brown 



Fig. 454. 



2. Lores and chin blackish aberti, p. 368. 



2'. Lores and chin not blackish. 



3. Crown rufous, throat buffy mesoleucus, p. 366. 



3'. Crown not rufous, throat rufous. 

 4. Smaller. Southern California senicula, p. 367. 

 4'. Larger crissalis, p. 367. 



V Upper parts black. 



T 



Fig. 455. 



