596 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. IX. 



when in the vicinity of dwellings. The eggs are from 3 to 5, pale 

 greenish blue or pale blue, speckled and marked with brown and black, 

 chiefly at the larger end, and measure about .68 x .50 inches. 



261. Spizella pallida (SWAINS.). 

 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. 



Distr. : Interior of North America , from Wisconsin and Illinois west 

 to the Rocky Mountains, north to Saskatchewan and Athabaska 

 region, and south in winter to Mexico and Lower California; breeds 

 from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska northward. 



Adult: Crown, streaked with pale brown and black, and an irreg- 

 ular gray stripe through the centre; a whitish stripe over the eye 

 and a dark stripe from the eye backward; side of head (loral and 

 auricular region), buffy brown, bordered below with dusky; throat, 

 white, with a narrow dusky maxillary streak; back, clay brown, 

 streaked with black; rump, brownish gray; under parts, white, more 

 or less faintly tinged with pale ashy brown on breast and sides; upper 

 mandible, dark; under mandible, pale; legs and feet, pale. 



Length, about 5.10; wing, 2.45; tail, 2.40; bill, .36. 



The Clay-colored Sparrow is not uncommon during migrations 

 and may be considered a summer resident in northern Illinois. It 

 is more common in Wisconsin. Nelson considered it " a rare summer 

 resident about the borders of prairies. Specimens are in Mr. Holden's 

 collection taken near Chicago." (Birds N. E. 111., 1876, p. 108.) Mr. 

 O. C. Poling met with this species occasionally during migrations 

 near Quincy, 111., and says: " Early in May, 1887, I collected a num- 

 ber of specimens and found them quite common in pasture and stub- 

 ble fields near the city." (The Auk, 1890, p. 242.) 



Regarding its occurrence in Wisconsin, Kumlien and Hollister write : 

 "An irregularly distributed summer resident from the southern part 

 of the state northward. ***** Has been taken nesting at Lake 

 Koshkonong, where it occurs as a regular summer resident. More 

 common about Stevens Point than any other locality we know of." 

 (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 100.) 



The nest is in low bushes or on the ground, and is composed of 

 grass. The eggs are 3 to 5, pale greenish blue, speckled and marked 

 chiefly at the larger end with dark brown, and measure about .66 

 x .50 inches. 



