JAN., 1909. BIRDS OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN CORY. 



589 



abundant migrant in Wisconsin in the fall, but have not observed 

 it in spring. They found it "exceedingly abundant about Lake 

 Koshkonong in September and early October." (Birds of Wiscon- 

 sin, 1903, p. 93.) 



Nest in marsh, composed of coarse grass and weeds, usually sup- 

 ported between upright reeds or stalks of coarse grass, but often on 

 the ground and rarely in low bushes. The eggs are from 3 to 5, dull 

 white, speckled and spotted with brown, and measure about .76 x .57 

 inches. 



Genus CHONDESTES Swainson. 

 254. Chondestes grammacus (SAY). 



LARK SPARROW. 



Distr.: Central portion of United States, common from Dakota, 

 Nebraska, and Kansas to Michigan and Illinois, but found occa- 

 sionally as far east as the Atlantic coast; breeds from Texas to north- 

 ern Wisconsin and North Dakota and casually east to New York 

 and New England; south in winter to Florida and the Gulf states. 



Adult: Sides of crown and a patch on the ear coverts, chestnut; 

 forehead, black, with a whitish spot in centre, shading into an ashy 



strip through the middle of the 

 crown; a whitish streak in front 

 of and below the eye; a buffy 

 white stripe behind the eye, 

 extending to the neck; throat, 

 white, with a black line on each 

 side; back, grayish, streaked with 

 black; a black spot on the middle 

 of the breast; rest of under parts, 

 white, faintly tinged with brown- 

 ish gray; wings, brown; middle tail 

 feathers, dark brown like the 

 Lark sparrow. wings, the others black, tipped 



with white; the outer tail feathers, white for at least three-fourths 

 of an inch from the tip, the extent of the white marking decreas- 

 ing on each succeeding feather. 



Length, 6.20; wing, 3.50; tail, 2.80; bill, .40. 



This melodious songster is a more or less common summer resident 

 in Illinois and Wisconsin, being more numerous in the western than 

 in the eastern parts of both states and apparently of rather local 

 distribution. It arrives from the south in April. It is one of our 



