54 BULLETIN FERGUS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL 



elevated bench near Lewistown. It was made in a depression in a small 

 tuft of grass, flush with the general surroundings. The material was 

 grayish dried grass, bedded on one side with cow-hair. The female flushed 

 in flight from the nest when I was about fifteen feet from her. The nest 

 contained three fresh eggs. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts chiefly grayish brown, streaked 

 with darker; top of head, and large crescent on breast, black; wing cov- 

 erts reddish-brown; lower parts grayish white; female with less prominent 

 colors; tail white, with prominent black tips to inner feathers; length 

 &.50-6.50 inches. 

 540a. WESTERN VESPER SPARROW. Pooecetes gramineus confinis. 



The commonest of the summer sparrows. It prefers the meadows 

 bordering the water-courses, where its pleasing song is a regular feature 

 of the springtime. In 1900, the first western vesper sparrow was noted en 

 May 1; in 1901, the first was seen on April 25. On May 4, 1901, the males 

 of this species were very common, and were noticeably prominent in -sit- 

 ting on the fences along the roadside and persistently singing. They are 

 very noticeable during the first half of May. 



On June 4, 1900, I found a nest of this sparrow in a meadow bordering 

 Big Spring Creek, near Lewistown. It was made at the base of a sprangling 

 bush, and was formed of coarse dried grass, and had a lining of horsehair. 

 The cavity averaged two and three-eighths inches in diameter, and was 

 two inches deep. There were four fresh eggs. The ground color of the 

 eggs is very pale green, and they are irregularly dotted and blotched with 

 varying hues of reddish-brown. 



My first nest of this sparrow found in 1901 is recorded for June 6. 

 It was found on the prairie near Little Casino Creek, a small feeder of Big 

 Spring Creek. The nest was in a depression sunken at the base of a small 

 weed, sloping somewhat under the weed, but open above, well-cupped and 

 heavily brimmed. The brim of the nest projected above the ground level 

 an inch. As usual, dried grass was the only substance composing the 

 walls, the lining being formed of fine dried grass and horsehair. The nest 

 cavity measured two and three-fourths inches and two and one-half inches 

 major and minor axes, and was two and one-half inches deep. The sitting 

 female was flushed as I stepped over the nest, and she fluttered out directly 

 between my feet. 



The vesper sparrow takes its departure for the south about the end 

 of September. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts brownish gray, streaked with 

 darker; outer tail feathers white, a very helpful marking in identification; 

 lower parts grayish white, upper part of breast streaked with brown; small 

 wing-coverts marked with rusty brown; length 6-7 inches. 



542b. WESTERN SAVANNA SPARROW. Passerculus sandwichensis 



alaudinus. 



This sparrow occurs commonly throughout the prairie districts of 

 the county, inhabiting the hay meadows of the ranches in summer. In the 

 fall it resorts to the weeds in the vicinity of irrigating ditches and ponds. 



