26 NOKTIi AMKIUCAN JMIIDS. 



of tlieir nests. Ono was in a willow, close aj,'ainst the tree, and three feet 

 from the LiToiinil, coutiiininy, on tiie lltli of May, four eggs [)artially hatched. 

 Tills was laiilt of coarse dry .stems and leaves, lined with liner gnusscs and 

 horse-hair. It was Hve inches in e.\tt!rnal diameter, and lour high. The 

 cavity was tw(j anil a half inches dee]) and two in diameti^'. Tlii^se eggs 

 had a grounil of greenisli-while, and were l)lotciied and spotted with a 

 puriilisli-lirown, chielly at tlie larger end, Tliey were M l»y .Gl' of an inch 

 in measurement. The ground-color was paler and the spots were darker 

 than in eggs of Z. tjitmbcli, the whole cohiriug nuich darker than in tliose of 

 }f.J'i(ll(r,r. 'i'liis nest was apparently an old one used for a second brood. 



Anotlier nest found as late as July It), and doubtless a second brood, was 

 in a thicket, six feet from tiie ground, and also contained four eggs. Dr. 

 ('oo])er states that lie lias seen the newly Hedged young liy the 7th of May. 



Dr. lleermann, in his account of tliis bird, which he supposed to be the 

 (jiittiilii of Dr. (iambel, .states that he found it abundant tiiroughout tlie 

 whole country over which he passed, anil more especially so in the buslies 

 bordering tiie streams, ponds, and marsiie.s. Its notes, sweet, and few in 

 numlier, resemiiled tiiosc of the connnon Song Sparrow. Its nests, usually 

 built in tlnck tufts of busiies, were composed externally of grasses and lined 

 witii liair, and contained each four eggs, with a pale ])luish-ash ground, 

 tinckly covered witii dashes of burnt uml)er. Kggs of tiiis species, from near 

 Monterey, collected by Dr. ("antield, vary in measurement from .85 l)y .(Jo of 

 an incli to .88 by .70, — larger tiian any eggs of Mclonphu mvlodia that I have 

 seen. Tiieir ground-color is a light green. The blotchtss are large, distinct, 

 and more or less eonlluent, and of a blended reddisii and purplish brown. 

 They are in some ditfused over the entire egg, in others disposed around the 

 larger end. 



Melospiza melodia, var. samuelis, Baird. 



SAMVELS'S BONO SFARBOW. 



Ammodromus samiieH.i, Hauu), Pr. Boston Soc. N. It. VI, .luiip, 1858, 381. — In. Birds 

 N.Am. 1858, 455, jil. I.\.\i, f. 1. — CoorKU, Oni. Cal. 1, 191. Mclospha (loitldi, 

 Bauu), Birds X. Am. 1858, 47'.t. 



Sp. CitAH. Soinowliat like Mehisjtlzn iiielndia, lint i'on.<i(lpral)ly .'iiiiallt'r luid dnrker. 

 Bill slender and aeiile, the depth iiDt more than half the (.'iilinen. Above streaked on 

 the head, back, and riiuip with dark brown, the borders of the I'eather.s p.iler, bnt without 

 any nifou.s. Beneath ]iure white ; the breast, with sides of throat .ind body, spotted and 

 streaked with blaek, apparently farther back than on otiier species. Winfrs above nearly 

 nniforni dark brownisli-rnlons. ITnder tail-eoverts yellowish-brown, eon.spicnously 

 blotched v.'ith lilaekish. An a.shy snpereiliary stripe, beeominp; nearly white to the bill, 

 and a whitish maxillary one below whieh is a liroad blackish stripe alonp the sides of 

 neck; the crown with faint prayish median line. Lciifith, .'i inches; wing, 2.20; tail, 

 2..3o, Bill dusky; Icf^s rather pah-. Bill, .. 1.5 from nostril by .24 deep; tarsus, .71 ; middle 

 toe without claw, .58. ('^/M ^, Pctahnna, Cal.) 



IIab Coast rcirion of California, near .''an Franei.sco. 



