FBINGILLIBJE: FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, ETC. 



365 



233 



77. 



colored or yellowish. Lenarth 5.75-6.35 ; extent 10.00-10.50 ; wing 2.SO-.S.-55 ; tail 3.25-2. 75. 



North Amer. at large, breeding throughout its range, but partially niigratiirv, ehietly nesting 



northward, and wintering southward. A large, stout, full-ohested sparmw of phiiu appearance, 



but recognized on sight by the bay bend of the wing and white lateral tail feathers, — the latter 



conspicuous as it flics. Very abundant in fields, along roadsides ; terrestrial, gTegariou.s to 



some extent when not breeding. Xest sunken in the ground, bulky, thick-rinimed, deeply 



cupped ; eggs 1-6, heavily colored, as iu P. saraiia, O.SO X 0.60; two or three broods may be 



reared. One of the sweetest songsters among the s]iarrow.s. 



P. g. confi'nis. (Lat. coiifnis. near.) Western Gra.s,s Fixlii. The paler, grayer form from 



the dry western regions. 



COTURXI'CULUS. (Lat. coturnix, a quail; cotinnicuhis, a little (piail.) Gkasshopper 



Sparri'iws. Bill (in jJM.seri'ii hs and lie)islowi) short and stout, with curved culnien (in 



lecoiitii slenderer and more elongate). Wings extremely short and r'lundeil, so that tlie inner 



secondaries reach nearly to the tip when closed, without special elongation on tlieir part. Tail 



of variable length according to species, weak, of nartow, laucetilate feathers, in one species very 



taperhig and acumiuate. Feet stout, much as in AiiimodramHS. Plumage greatly variegated ; 



bufty tints conspicuous on under parts. Contains 3 remarkably distinct X. Am. species of queer 



little sparrows of grass, weeds, and reeds, with another of S. Am. (C. imniimbe}. They slu'W 



a greater range of variation iu form than our finical modern genera usually allow, and shade 



through C. Jecontii into Ammodraiiuis. The name is appropriate; C. 2^<^sser)iuis curiously 



resembles a quail in miniature. 



Anahisis of Species. 



Tail shorter than wings ; outstretched feet reaching to or beyond its end- Bit 



dently streaked beL:)w 



Tail equal to wings. Sharp maxillary, pectoral and lateral streaks. Bill stout, bi-own . . heyh^Jowl 2SQ 



Tail longer than wings ; outstretched feet not reaching its end. Bill slender, bluish. Sharp lateral without 



pectoral or maxillary streaks Itconfii 237 



234. C. passeri uus. (Lat. j;<7sseri'»i(s, spaiTOW-hl. 

 Quail Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow. 



stout, brown Adult not eti- 

 passi-riuus 2oi, 2.35 



low; lesser "iviug-coverts greenish-yellow ; a 

 yellow loral spot ; short hue over eye bufty- 

 yellow. Crown with median stripe of pale 

 brownish-yellow. Below, ochraceousor pale 

 buif or tawny, fading to -M'hitish on belly, not 

 evidently streaked, though a few dark touches 

 may appear on sides of breast. Above, sin- 

 gularly variegated with black, gray, yellow- 

 ish-brown and a pecuhar purpUsh-bay, in 

 short streaks and specks ; the crown being 

 nearly black with sharp median brownish- 

 yellow stripe, the middle of the back chiefly 

 black with bay and brownish-yellow edgings 

 of the feathers, the cervical region and rump 

 chiefly bay and gray. When the feathers 

 are not disturbed, the peculiar pattern of the 

 cervical region separates that of the crown 

 and back ; the markings extend on the sides 



0. Fig. 220.) Yellow-winged Spaer(iw. 

 (J 9 , adult; Ed^r of win:.'" conspicuously yel- 



Tellow-winged Sparrow, reduced. (Shep- 



of the neck, but the sides of the head are pard del. Nichols sc.) 

 plain, like the under parts. Wing-coverts and inner secondaries variegated in intricate pattern, 

 the general effect like the back. Primaries and tail-feathers plain duskv, with narrow lioht edg- 

 ings ; outer tail-feathers paler, but not white. Feet flesh-colored. Small: length i.SO-5.25 : 



