66 BULLETIN FERGUS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL 



On a warm afternoon of late September or early October it sits in the haw 

 thickets and sings in low, subdued medley, uttering a plaintive "fear away" 

 in persistent repetition. Now and then one sparrow will chase another 

 out and back into the bush as in vernal sport. It is likely that some rep- 

 resentatives of this sparrow stay in this region throughout the winter. 

 Capt. Platte M. Thorne reports that this sparrow is tolerably common in 

 spring and fall at Ft. Keogh. In south-central Montana Messrs. Richmond 

 and Knowlton found it very common in the valleys after September 1, and 

 they state that it breeds in the mountains. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts grayish brown, streaky; head 

 striped with black and white, middle stripe white; lower parts grayish white, 

 not striped; length 6-7 inches. 



559a. WESTERN TREE SPARROW. Spizella monticola ochracea. 



A regular winter resident of this region, frequenting the thickets 

 along the water-courses of the prairie districts. One of the bright mornings 

 of late winter their tinkling notes give considerable animation to the frosty 

 surroundings. When these sparrows appear on their movement from the 

 north, usually early in October, many of them are in song, uttering their 

 pretty trills in rather subdued execution. Very early in the spring, or 

 rather in late winter, the males begin their vernal singing, late February 

 and early March giving renewed voice to these songsters of the thickets. 

 These sparrows linger among us until the middle of April, after which they 

 soon disappear. I have not noted their presence here in mid-winter. 



Distinguishing features: Top of head cinnamon brown; back and 

 shoulders brown, streaked with black; other upper parts grayish brown; 

 wing coverts tipped with grayish white; lower parts gray; length 6-7 inches. 

 The reddish-brown crown is generally divided by a decided lighter middle 

 line. The middle of the chest has a distinct dark spot. 



560a. WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW. Spizella soclalis arizonae. 



A summer resident, probably abundantly represented everywhere 

 throughout the county in the vicinity of water-courses and in woodlands. 



Distinguishing features: Top of head reddish-brown; lower parts 

 dingy white, unstriped; back with narrow streaks of black; length 5-6 

 inches. 



561. CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. Spizella pallida. 



This sparrow is a regular resident of the sage-brush districts in the 

 eastern portions of the county. I have not noted its occurrence near Lew- 

 istown. Dr. J. A. Allen found that to the westward of the Yellowstone, this 

 sparrow was replaced by Spizella brewer!, or at least no specimens of 

 pallida were taken thereafter. Dr. Elliott Coues traced the clay-colored 

 sparrow along the northern boundary of the state to the Rocky Mountains. 

 It is reported as nesting at Ft. Keogh, and Dr. McChesney reported it as 

 quite common in the bottom near Custer in August and September. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts light-brown, streaked with 

 black; lower parts dingy white, breast tinged with rusty brown; chest and 

 sides streaky; length 5-6 inches. 



