Mar. 1890.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



39 



both forts, Lyon and Lewis. At Lewis it was 

 abundant during tlic migrations and I believe 

 it breeds in the niountains, but not on tlie 

 phiins. A few were seen in suniuier but not 

 as conunon at S,:")00 feet as at 12,000 ov even 

 10,000 feet. I have taken no nests in the state, 

 and know of none having been taken. 



217. AxiuKxIrdiiiihs hdlrdii (And ). Baird's 

 Sparrow. Rare in western portions of the 

 state, tolerably common on the plains, and 

 breeds in numbers, the nest being upon the 

 ground and usually in small colonies; general 

 habits much like P. onuitn.s. Common in 

 Southwestern Colorado, and winters from 

 Northern New Mexico and Arizona south, a 

 few may even winti'r along tiie southein border. 



2 IS. AmiiiDilraniun stirdiiiniruiii jierpdlUdiiN 

 (liidgw.). Western t;rasslK)pper Sparrow. 

 Tolerably common and breeds. Said by Drew 

 to breed from the plains up to 5,000 feet, but 

 it goes much higher than tliis, and I think 

 does ni>t breed on the jdains. In Colorado 

 this bird breeds early in .June, deiiositing five 

 eggs. It is a fact worthy of note that the 

 Yellow-winged, or Grasshopper Sparrow has 

 not yet been split up into many varieties as is 

 the case with so m:iny of our species, but I 

 predict tliat the day is not far off when this 

 will be done, and it seems with far better 

 cause than with some of our present varieties. 



210. Cliondestes grdiiniKicitN striffatus 

 (Swains.). Western Lark Spariow. Summer 

 visitant; common on the plains and on the 

 tablelands in the mountains. Not as abundant 

 in Southwestern Colorado as in the rest of the 

 state. Xests ''cm the ground," eggs resem- 

 bling the Red- wing lilackbirds in markings; 

 in shape, lounded. At Fort Lyon I found 

 this species veiy abundant and breeding in 

 trees and bushes, even as higii as twenty feet. 

 I liave only known it to breed in trees along 

 river bottoms, which are liable to be over- 

 flowed and in such places none of the birds 

 nest (in the ground, but place their nests above 

 tiie (ie'Oris left by the receding waters of the 

 spring before, which serves as an excellent 

 water mark. 



220. ZonotrU-hUi (jncnild (Xutt. ). Harris's 

 Sparrow. Rare; probably winters occasionally 

 in Southwestern Colorado. Recorded by Mr. 

 Charles Wicklitte Beckham* from Pueblo. He 

 says "On October 20 (ISSO) 1 shot a male of 

 this species in the autumnal plumage of the 

 young bird. It was in comi)any with a lot of 

 . I uncos and Tree Sparrows. No others were 



* Auk, Vol. IV, Xo. 2, Aiiiil. 1887. 



seen. This, I believe, considerably extends 

 the known range of Harris's S])arrow, as I 

 find no ' record' west of Kansas or Nebraska." 



221. Zonotrichin lenrophryK (Forst. ). White- 

 crowned Sparrow. Common summer visitant. 

 Found in the mountains throughout the sum- 

 mer and breeds above 8,000 feet, below which 

 it is not known to breed, and is only seen 

 during the migrations at this altitude. When 

 migrating, the bushes skirting tiie fields and 

 fringing the streams are alive with these spar- 

 rows, and tlieir cheerful song is heard in every 

 direction. Tlie nest is placed upon the ground 

 in bushes and the eggs are four and often five. 



222. Zonotrichla intermedia {VM^s^w.). Inter- 

 mediate Sparrow. This is the form most 

 commt)n in Southwestern Colorado, although 

 I have secured specimens of this and the pre- 

 ceding, from the same flock. Anthony gives 

 it as a transient visitant; common at Denver, 

 and it appears common throughout the moun- 

 tain districts of the state. Supposed to breed 

 only north of the U. S. 



223. Zonotrichia ulbicolliii (Gmel. ). White 

 throated S])arrow. Rare, only one record- 

 known, that of Charles Wickliffe Beckham in 

 the Auk,* who shot a male on October 24 

 (1880). "The specimen was unusually small" 



and in all probability was a straggler. 



It 



was taken near Pueblo. The nest and eggs 

 are not distinguishable from the two preceding 

 species. 



224. Spizelld inonticolu ochracea (Brewst.). 

 Western Tree Sparrow. Observed by Trippe 

 and Anthony, the latter recording it as a 

 winter visitant; abundant. Drew gives it at 

 9,000 feet, while Trijjpe records it 8,500. I 

 found it in Southwestern Colorado at 8,500 

 feet and in spring somewhat higher. It will 

 no doubt be found to breed high up in tlie 

 mountains. 



225. Spizella Kocialis (Wils.). Chipping 

 Sparrow. Anthony gives this species as rare 

 at Denver, I found it tolerably common in 

 Southeastern Colorado and it is found in less 

 numbers as you approach the niountains, and 

 merges into the next at the foot-hills. This 

 does not range as high as the western variety, 

 and probably 7,000 feet is as high as it is found. 



226. Spizella so cialiti arizoncB (Coues.). Wes- 

 tern Chipping Sparrow. This variety is abun- 

 dant from the foot-hills westward. It reaches 

 even 10,000 feet, and nests in bushes in prefer- 

 ence to trees, and usually not over ten or 

 twelve feet from the ground. Drew gives its 



* Vol. IV, Xo. 2, April, 1887. 



