538 NORTH xVMERICAN IMRDS. 



ritory, where thoy arrived in March, and remained until late in October. 

 They were usually found anionic the grass, from which they rarely rise, 

 except to sing their fiiint and lisping trill from a weed or some low hush. 

 Mr. liidgway represents this song as corresi)(»nding with the syllables witz- 

 witz-v:i1f!-tziiU. This, he states, is uttered in a weak and lisi)ing manner, as 

 the bird perches on a l)ush l>eside the brook, or on a fence, or as it nestles 

 among the grass on the ground. 



Dr. Cooper speaks of them as only winter visitants in California, and 

 there residing only on the dry interior plains, as far south as San Diego, 

 where they remain in large flocks until April. He has never met with 

 this bird during the summer months, though some are .supposed to remain 

 and breed in the high prairies. He did not meet with any about the sum- 

 mits of the Sierra Xevada, in September. They appeared to prefer the dry 

 rolling prairies to marshes, though they were occasionally found in the 

 latter. 



This species is also a migratory visitant to the Department of Vera Cruz, 

 Mexico, where they are said by Sumichrast to pass the winter. 



Their nests are built upon the ground, and are composed almost entirely 

 of the dry stems of gra.sses, and are lined with finer materials of the same. 

 Their ejius measure .75 of an incii in length bv .52 in breadth, have a 

 greenish-white ground, over which are distrihiite<l numerfnis markings, spots, 

 and blotches of various sizes, of a light purplish-brown and a deeper red- 

 brown, confluent about the larger end, where thev form a crown. 



Near Fort Anderson nests were found in great nun) hers, no less than two 

 hundred and four havin«> been obtained duriui^^ four summers in that localitv. 

 These nests were all taken on the groinid, under low grass, in dry spots in 

 a large marshy prairie, and it is stated that they were never found in any 

 other situation or locality. 



Fasserculus savanna, var. sandwichensis, Baird. 



HOBTHWESTEBN SAVANKA 8FABB0W. 



Emheriza sundicichemis, Gyi. I, 1788, 875. Emhrriza nrctioi, Latham, Ind. Om. I, 1790, 

 414. Fi'ingilla ardicn, ViaoH-s Zool. of Blossom, 1839, 20 (perliaps one of the .smaller 

 species). — "Bkandt, I<;oii. Koss. 2, G." £uspizit arctiai, Br. Conspectus, iSoO, 460. 

 Zo)iotrichia arctico, Fi.n.sch, 187'2. Eniheriza eJrn/snps, Pallas, 7ak>^. Rosso-As. II, 

 1811, 45, tab. xhiii, fig. 1 (Unahi.ska^. Smidvkh Bunting, Lath. Syn. II, 1783, 202. 

 Uwdnska Bunting, Pennaxt, Arctic Zobl. II, 363, 320, No. 229 (not of p. 364, No. 

 , 233). P«/.9.*Tr«/<^-srt«rf«riV/</'?M/.s, Baiup, Binis N. Ani. 1858, 444. — Dall & Baxnls- 

 TEU, Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1869, 284. — OudPEU, Orn. Cal. I, 180. Fasserculus savanna, 

 Dall & Bannister, Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1869, 283. 



Sp. Char. Almost ox.iotly like P. savanna, but half an inch lonirer, with much larc'er 

 bill. Length, G.12 inches; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.55. Bill above, .50; below, .30; j^'ape, .50; 

 depth, .27. 



Hac. Northwestern coast from th(^ Colimibia River to Ru.s.sian .\merica. 



