414 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



GENUS CHONDESTES SWAINSON. (Page 383, pi. CIX., fig. 2.) 



Species. 



COMMON CHARACTERS. Above brownish or brownish gray, the back streaked 

 with blackish ; tail-feathers (except middle pair) broadly tipped with white ; 

 lower parts chiefly white. Adult: Crown and ear-coverts chestnut, the former 

 divided medially by a pale brownish gray or grayish buff stripe (whitish anteri- 

 orly), the chestnut passing anteriorly into blackish ; a black streak across lores, 

 and one along each side of throat ; a small black spot on middle of chest. Young : 

 Crown and ear-coverts grayish brown, the former streaked with blackish ; whole 

 plumage usually more or less suffused with buffy, and chest streaked with dusky. 

 Nest on ground or in bushes or trees, composed of dried grasses, etc. Eggs 3-5, 

 pure white (sometimes with a faint bluish or brownish tinge), speckled and lined, 

 chiefly on larger end, with black and dark brown. 



a 1 . Averaging darker and grayer, with black streaks on back broader and chestnut 

 of head rather darker ; wings and tail shorter ; length 5.75-6.75, wing 3.20- 

 3.80 (3.49), tail 2.70-3.00 (2.82). Eggs .80 X .61. Hab. Mississippi Valley, 

 north to southern Michigan, east to Ohio (casually to Atlantic coast), south 

 to eastern Texas, Louisiana, etc. 



552. C. grammacus (SAY). Lark Sparrow. 



a 2 . Averaging paler and browner, with black streaks on back narrower, and chestnut 

 of head rather lighter; wings and tail longer; length 6.50-7.25, wing 3.35- 

 3.70 (3.58), tail 2.60-3.35 (2.93). Eggs .80 X -63. Hab. Western United 

 States, east to Great Plains and middle Texas, south over table-lands of 

 Mexico. 



552a. C. grammacus strigatus (SWAINS.). Western Lark Sparrow. 



GENII'S ZONOTRICHIA SWAINSON. (Page 385, pi. CIX., fig. 4.) 



Species. 



COMMON CHARACTERS. Back brownish, streaked with blackish; lower back, 

 rump, and upper tail-coverts plain olive-brownish or grayish brown ; wing with two 

 white bands; tertials and uppermost greater wing-coverts broadly edged with 

 chestnut, this passing terminally into white ; tail without white ; lower parts plain 

 whitish or grayish (streaked in young). Adults with head wholly black (Z. quer- 

 ula), or else with a broad black stripe on each side of crown. Nest on or near 

 ground, in open places (sometimes in bushes), composed of dried grasses, etc. 

 Eggs 3-5, pale greenish blue, greenish white, or buffy whitish, spotted, speckled, 

 or sprinkled with rusty brown. 



a 1 . Top of head black, without trace of median stripe, or of yellow; sides and flanks 



