North American Birds Eggs. 



255 



[White.] 



544b. Lagoon Sparrow. Passerciiliis roMratus halophilus. 

 Range. — Salt marshes, Abreojos Point, Lower California. (Color Key.) 



544c. San Benito Sparrow. Pufinerruhis rontratun miirtdnnn. 

 Ranse. — Breeds on San Benito Islands; winters in southern Lower California. 

 The nesting habits and eggs of these very similar subspecies are identical. 



545. Baird Sparrow. Coturniciiluf: bairdii. 



Range. — Plains, breeding from northern L^nited States to the Saskatchewan; 

 south in winter to the iVIexican border. 



These Sparrows breed abundantly on the plains of Dakota 

 and northward, placing their nest in hollows on the ground in 

 fields and along road sides. During June or July, they lay 

 three to five dull whitish eggs, blotched, splashed and spotted 

 with light shades of brown and gray. Size .80 x .60. Data. — 

 Crescent Lake, N. W. Canada., June 8, 1901. Nest in a tuft 

 of grass, a few inches above the ground; of grass, lined with 

 hair. Collector, Walter Raine. 



546. Grasshopper Sparrow. Coiuriiindus srivan iiarum paHHerinuH. 

 Range.— United States east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf to Canaila. 



A stoutly built Sparrow marked on the upper parts peculiar- 

 ly, like a quail; nape grayish and chestnut. These birds are 

 common in dry fields and pastures, where their scarcely aud- 

 ible, grasshopper-like song is heard during the heatof the day. 

 Their nests are sunken in the ground and arched over so that 

 they are very difficult to find, especially as the bird will not 

 flush until nearly trod upon. The four or five eggs, laid in 

 June, are wnite, specked with reddish brown. Size .72 x .55. 



546a. Western Grasshopper Sparrow. Coturnicuhis savannaruin biiiiiiculdtUK. 



Range.— West of the Plains from British Columbia to Mexico. 



Slightly paler than the last; has the same nesting habits; eggs indistinguishable. 



546b. Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. Coturniculuf: snvan iKiriim floridiimis. 



Range.— Central Florida. 



A local form, darker above antl paler below than the common species. Eggs 

 not different in any particular. 



547. Henslow Sparrow. Ammodramus henslovm. 



Range. — Ignited States east of tlie Plains, breeding locally from Maryland 

 and Missouri north to Massachusetts and Minnesota. 



^:^ 





This species is similar in form and marking to the last, liut 

 is olive green on the nape, and the breast and sides are streak- 

 ed with blackish. Their nesting habits are very similar to 

 those of the Grasshopper Sparrow, the nests being difficult to 

 find. The eggs are greenish white, spotted with reddish brown. 

 Size .75 X .55. Data. — Lancaster, Mass., June 10, 1902. 4 

 eggs. Nest on the ground in a meadow; made of grasses and 

 lined with fine grass. Collector, John E. Thayer. 



547a. Western Henslow Sparrow. Ammndramus henslowii ocddentalis. 



Range.— A paler and very local form found in the Plains in South Dakota ant 

 probably, adjoining states. 



Eggs not apt to differ from those of tlie preceding. 



(White. 



