194 PASSERES : Perching Birds 



LINCOLN SPARROW 



(583. Melospiza lincolni lincolni) 5f in. 

 Above, a streaky mixture of gray-brown and dusky; crown 



sharply streaked; throat and belly white; sides and chest-band 



buffy with narrow black streaks. 



Streaks do not form a breast-spot. (Compare Song Sparrow.) 

 A species with habits and action of the Song Sparrow, for 



which easily mistaken. Song totally different, very musical, one 



of the finest of Sparrow songs. 



Fox Sparrows, like Towhees, live on the ground, scratching in 

 dry leaves and loose earth for seeds and insects. Fifteen or 

 more forms, or subspecies, are recognized, all occurring in Cal- 

 ifornia, and seven breeding within the State. Twelve of these 

 forms reach southern California in winter, and another nests 

 there. 



THICK-BILLED FOX SPARROW 



(585b. Passer ella iliaca megarhyncha) 1\ in. 



Upper parts slaty; tail and wings rusty; white below, with 

 blackish wedges on fore parts, heaviest on chest. 



Bill large. (Compare Stephens.) 



STEPHENS FOX SPARROW 



(585d. Passerella iliaca Stephens!) 1\ in. 

 Almost identical in color and markings with the Thick-billed, 

 Bill largest of all the Fox Sparrows, almost a monstrosity 

 compared with some others. (See Thick-billed and Slate- 

 colored.) 



SLATE-COLORED FOX SPARROW 



(585c. Passerella iliaca schistacea) 7 in. 



Upper parts gray, similar to Stephens and Thick-billed; 

 breast-spots brown instead of blackish. 



Bill very small. 



