8 NORTH AMERICAN .BIRDS. 



dusky tinge in tin; uppcf liill. wanting,' in imsilhi, and tin' lores are almost always more or 

 less duslvy in all statues of pluniairc. 



IIaii. Eastern Province of Nortli AniiM'ica; north to (Irt'at Slave; [,ake, and s'.onth to 

 Orizalia, Eastern Mexieo, where il is lesident. Oaxaea (i)eiliaps var. arizonw), Jan. (Sci.. 

 8.".8, 3(Jl); Xalaiiu (Sol. 1859, 3Go) ; Cordova (Sol. 185(), 305); Cuba (Lahh. 1800, VII., 

 ll'OO). 



Habits. The coninioii ("liippino Sparrow, so I'aiiiiliar to till in the eastern 

 portion of tlio United States, is not only one of tiie most al)iindant, but one 

 of tlie most M'idoly distributed of our Nortli American birds. It is found 

 from the Atlantic to the Tacific in its two races, and breeds from Georgia 

 to the Arctic Circle. At different seasons of the year it is found in till por- 

 tions of North America to ^lexico. Alono- the Atlantic coast it ucsts at 

 least iis far north as New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ; in the extreme 

 northern portion of the latter Province I found it one of the most abundant 

 birds. 



The late ]\Ir. liol)ert Kennicott mot witii thom in considerable numbers at 

 Fort Resolution, on Great Slave Lake, and there he obtained quite a number 

 of their nests, all of which were in trees or bushes, from two to three feet 

 above the ground. These were all met with between the 1st and the 26th 

 of June. Mr. H. I{. Itoss itlso met with these birds in considerable numbers 

 at Fort Simpson and at Fort Wae. 



On the PaciKc coast the ('hipi)ing Sparrow is stated by Dr. Cooper to be 

 quite as abundant iu the northern parts of California, and in Oregon and 

 Washington Territory, as on the Atlantic coast. He found them wintering 

 in the Colorado Ytdley in large numbers, but met with none about San Diego. 

 They spend their summers in the northern part of California, building their 

 nests, as with us, in the .shrubbery of the gardens, and coming familiarly 

 about the doorste])S to jiick uj) crumbs. In autumn they collect in Itirge 

 flocks, and frequent the open fields and pastures. Dr. Cooper found them in 

 flocks on Catalina Island in June, but could discover no nests. Tliey were 

 all old birds, and the conclusion was that they had delayed their more north- 

 ern migrations. 



Dr. Suckley found this species extremely abundant in the open districts 

 on the Columl)ia Kiver, as well as upon the gravelly prairies of the Puget 

 Sound district. It is not named as having been met with by Mr. DaU or 

 any of the Kussian Telegraj)!! party in Alaska. 



It was i'otind in abundanci^ din-ing tlie summer by .Mr. Eidgway in all the 

 wooded portions of the country of tlie Great Basin. He did not meet with 

 any among the cottonwoods of the river-valleys, its favorite hau..ts appear- 

 ing to be the cedars iind the nut-pines of the mountains. In July and 

 August, in such loctdities, on the East Humboldt Mountains, it was not only 

 the most numerous species, but also very abundant, nesting in the trees. 

 About tlie middle of August they congregiited in large numbers, preparing for 

 their departure. 



