1912] Swarth: Birds and Mammals from Vancouver Island 57 



they were exceedingly abundant. Thirty specimens were pre- 

 served (nos. 15985-16014), twenty-two being spring adults, and 

 six immatures and two adults in fresh winter plumage. They 

 are precisely like birds from the coast of southeastern Alaska ; 

 in all probability most of them are migrants from that region. 

 As already pointed out by Grinned (1909, p. 227) and myself 

 (1911a, p. 85), the Savannah sparrow of the northwest coast is 

 practically indistinguishable from P. s. savanna of eastern North 

 America, and I continue to use this name for the form. The 

 additional material obtained does not furnish obvious means of 

 distinguishing the races, and I am unable to do so; from P. s. 

 alaudinus these coast birds are widely different, and should not 

 be lumped under the same name. 



Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli I Xuttall) 

 Intermediate Sparrow 

 Seen at Errington in September, evidently migrating. The 

 first was taken on September 17, and for a short time thereafter 

 a few could usually be found in thickets and brush piles about 

 the edges of the cleared fields. Nearly all had disappeared before 

 the end of the month. Two specimens were preserved (nos. 

 16015, 16016), an adult female and an immature male. 



Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli Ridgway 

 Nuttall Sparrow 



A common species on the east coast of Vancouver Island, but 

 observed nowhere on the west side. In driving between Nanaimo 

 and Alberni, as I had occasion to do several times during the 

 summer, the Nuttall sparrows were conspicuous along the road- 

 side to a point a little beyond Parksville, some thirty miles north 

 of Xanaimo, but soon after the road turned to the westward they 

 ceased to be seen. 



Though no nests were found the species was undoubtedly 

 breeding in this region. A female collected by Miss Alexander 

 at French Creek, on May 13 (no. 16024), is entered in her note- 

 book as containing eggs in its oviduct. None were seen during 

 June, July and August, spent on the west side of the island, and 



