396 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



This handsome Sparrow barely enters the western limits of the region 

 covered by the Handbook." It there inhabits brushy undergrowths 

 and much the same localities which White-throats frequent. Its pink 

 or reddish bill and buff cheeks are excellent field characters. Its call- 

 note is a sharp, metallic clink, louder than the White-throat's call, and, 

 like that species, it utters low, chuckling, contented musical notes. GOBI? 

 describes its song as composed of "pleasing, plaintive, whistling notes, 

 in musical tone much like the White-throated Sparrow's, but delivered 

 in a widely different song." 



554. Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys (Forst,). WHITE-CROWNED 

 SPARROW. Ads. No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing; cen- 

 ter of crown white bordered on either side by black stripes, no white before the 

 eye; a white line from over the eye passes backward along the side of the 

 head; nape gray; back dark grayish brown, margined with gray; rump dark 

 brownish ash; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white; tail fus- 

 cous; underparts grayish, white on the belly, flanks and under tail-coverts 

 cream-buff. Im. Similar, but much browner, sides of the crown rufous- 

 brown, center of the crown pale grayish brown; nape brownish ash; back 

 margined with the same color. L., 6'88; W., 3'03; T., 2'88; B., '43. 



Range. N. A. Breeds in Hudsonian and Canadian zones of high mts. 

 from s. Ore. to cen. Calif., and e. to Wyo. and s. N. M., and from limit of 

 trees in cen. Keewatin and n. Ungava to se. Keewatin, cen. Que., and s. 

 Greenland; winters from n. L. Calif., s. Ariz., s. Kans., and the Ohio Valley 

 (casually from the Potomac Valley, s. to La. and Miss, and in Mex. 



Washington, irregularly common W. V. and T. V., May 1-1-7; Oct. 7- ;*' 

 Nov. 20. Ossining, rare T. V., May 9-26; Oct. 3-30. Cambridge, uncommon fr 

 T. V., May 12-22; Oct. 1-20. N. Ohio, common T. V., Apl. 22-May 20; Sept. 

 5-Oct. 16. Glen Ellyn, not common T. V.; chiefly spring, Apl. 24-May 31; 

 Oct. 2-21. SE. Minn., common T. V., Apl. 30- ; Sept. 26-Oct. 14. 



Nest, of grasses, on the ground or in bushes. Eggs, 4-5, pale greenish 

 blue, speckled and spotted with bay, especially at the larger end, '90 x "62 

 (Davie). Date, Ft. Chimo, Lab., June 3. 



This is one of the aristocrats of the family. Its size and its hand- 

 some markings at once distinguish it from its congeners, and are sure 

 to attract attention. Though its season of love and music is spent in 

 the far north, it often favors us with selections of its melodies as it 

 rests in thickets and hedgerows while slowly passing through our 

 country on its northward pilgrimage. Its usual song is like the latter 

 half of the White-throat's familiar refrain, repeated a number of times 

 with a peculiar sad cadence and in a clear, soft whistle that is charac- 

 teristic of the group. It resembles its relatives also in singing its 

 sweetest songs in the woods, sometimes during the darkest hours of 

 the night. ERNEST THOMPSON SETON. 



554a. Z. 1. gambeli (Nutt.). GAMBEL'S SPARROW. Similar to Z. L 

 leucophrys but the lores wholly gray or whitish, the white superciliary there- 

 fore reaching the bill. 



Range. W. N. Am. Breeds in Boreal zones from limit of trees in nw. 

 Alaska and n. Mackenzie (rarely outside the mts. s. of Groat Slave Lako) s. 

 to cen. Ore. and cen. Mont., w. to coast mts. of sw. Alaska and B. C.; win* 

 ters from n. Calif, and Utah s. to San Luis Potosi, Mazatlan, L. Calif., and 

 outlying islands; casual e. in migrations to Minn., Iowa, Kans., and e. Tex. 

 SE. Minn., uncommon T. V., Apl. 30; Sept. 26-Oct. 14. 



