224 LAND BIRDS 



dawn the whole thicket rings with his melody, rousing 

 the more drowsy willow-dwellers to rejoice with him. 

 "The ballad singer of the mountains," some one has 

 called him. 



His is a vertical as well as longitudinal migration, for 

 when the September snow-flurries threaten, the various 

 broods form a straggling flock that retreat slowly before 

 the cold, until in October they have reached the valleys 

 of Southern California, and pass on farther south. 



554 a. GAMBEL SPARROW, OR INTERMEDIATE 

 SPARROW. — Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli. 



Family : The Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 5.75-6.75. 



Adults: Similar to the white-crowned sparrow, hut edge of wing pale 



yellow instead of white, and lores white or buffy instead of black, 



and white superciliary stripe extending to bill. 

 Geographical Distribution : Coast ranges of California and north to 



British Columbia, straggling east as far as Iowa, and south to 



Mexico. 

 Breeding Range : From Alaska and Montana to Eastern Oregon. 

 Breeding Season: June 15 to July 15. 

 Nest : Similar to that of the white-crowned sparrow, but placed in 



bushes, trees, and thick clumps of weeds. , 



Eggs: Similar to those of the white-crowned sparrow, but tinged with 



rusty brown. 



In form, coloring, and habits the Gambel Sparrow, 

 or Intermediate Sparrow, closely resembles the white- 

 crowned, of which it is a subspecies. It breeds in the 

 far north, returning to California in October, and is an 

 abundant winter visitant throughout the State. For 

 nesting habits, see " White-crowned Sparrow." 



