136 



YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES 



Frequents open grassland or areas 

 with low annuals and scattered low 

 bushes. In summer inhabits chiefly the 

 Upper Sonoran and Transition life- 

 zones but locally enters the Canadian 

 life-zone. S. V. on the east side of the 

 Sierra. W. V. to the western part of 

 the Yoscmite region. Several records 

 for Yosemite Valley. 



LARK SPARROW (Chondestes 

 grammacus): bYi-^Y^ in. Upper parts 

 brownish-gray streaked with black; top 

 of head rich brown with white stripe 

 through center; white streak over eye 

 and another in malar region setting off 

 chestnut patch on side of head; white 

 throat marked at sides with black, set- 

 ting off white malar band; under parts 

 whitish; black spot on breast; tail 

 rounded, with all but central feathers 

 black, broadly tipped with white. Fe- 

 male with head markings duller and 

 immature with streaked breast and 

 without dark breast-spot. 



Frequents open woodland, broken 

 brushland, orchards, or other open ter- 



RUFOUS-CROWNED 

 SPARROW 



BELL'S SPARROW 



5-6Ji 



rain with scattered trees or bushes, 

 chiefly in the Lower and Upper So- 

 noran life-zones. R. in the western foot- 

 hills in the Yosemite region. C. V. to 

 Yosemite Valley. 



RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW 



( Aimophila ruficeps): 5-534 in. Rufous 

 red cap; throat white with black malar 

 stripe; belly gray or buffy, unstreaked; 

 back grayish-brown, streaked with 

 rusty; buffy line over eye. Immature: 

 Lacks reddish - brown crown and has 

 streaked breast. 



Frequents sparse low brush of grassy 

 hillsides in the Upper Sonoran life- 

 zone. Especially attracted to sagebrush. 

 R. in the western foothills of the 

 Yosemite region. C. V. to Yosemite 

 Valley. 



BELL'S SPARROW (Amphispiza 

 belli): 5-6 [4 in. Head gray, with white 

 spot in front of eye; white eye-ring; 

 throat white with narrow to broad 

 black malar stripe, solid or broken, set- 

 ting off white patch between it and 

 dark cheek-patch; breast and belly 

 whitish, streaked on sides; dark spot 

 on breast; back grayish-brown, streaked. 



Frequents arid to semiarid lowlands 

 with chaparral or sagebrush and other 

 bushes of desert type. Inhabits chiefly 

 the Upper Sonoran life-zone. Frequents 

 the foothills of the Yosemite region on 

 th'^ east and west sides of the Sierra. 

 C. V. to Yosemite Valley. 



SLATE-COLORED J UNCO 



(Junco hyemalis): ^Ya - 6y2 in. Head, 

 breast, and back slate-gray, contrasting 

 with white belly; two outer tail feath- 

 ers completely white, third partly so; 

 no reddish or brown coloration in 

 adult male. Female: Browner above; 

 below pale. Immature: Often with 

 faint brownish or buff on sides. 



Frequents a great variety of habi- 

 tats but often found where there is 

 forest or brush cover of open type. Rare 

 M. and W. V. throughout California 

 except the Colorado Desert. Regular 

 W. V. in the Yosemite region. Has been 

 observed in Yosemite Valley. 



T 



