North American Birds Eggs. 



259 



[Pale ffreeiiLsh liluc] 



554a. Intermediate Sparrow. ZtiiKitrirhUi Iciicoiihrys niniihfli. 



Range. — Rocky Mountains and westward from Alexico to Alaska, breeding 

 chiefly nortli of tlie United States. 



Ttii's bird is like the last but the lores are white. Its nesting habits and eggs 

 cannot be distinguished from those of the former. 

 554b. Nuttall Sparrow. Zoiwtrichin Iruniplirijfi iiuttatU. 



Range.— Pacific coast from British Columbia to Lower California. 



Simflar to the last but smaller and browner above; nests on the ground or in 

 Inishes, the eggs not lieing distinguishable from thoseoftheother White-crowns. 

 5 5 7. Golden-crowned Sparrow. Ziniofricliid niroiifda. 



Range. — Pacific coast from Mexico to Alaska, breeding chiefly north of our 

 borders. 



This species has the crown yellow, bordered by black on the 

 sides. Their habits are like those of the White-cnjwned Spar- 

 rows, they feeding upon the ground among the dead leaves, 

 and usually being found in flocks and often accompanied by 

 many of the last species. They nest upon the ground or in 

 low bushes, and in May or June lay three or four eggs very sim- 

 ilar to the last. Size .i>0 x .65. 



558. White-throated Sparrow. Zonotrirhia filbirolUs. 

 Range. — North America east of the Plains and l)reeding from the northern tier 



of states northward; winters from the Middle States southward. 



To my mind this is the most beautiful of Sparrows, with its bright and softly 



blended plumage and the pure white throat boldly contrasting with its grayish 

 breast and sides of the head; the lores are adorned with a 

 bright yellow spot. They are one of the most abundant of 

 Sparrows in the east during migratiims and their musical 

 pipingwhistle is heard from hedge and wood. They nest most 

 abundantly north of our borders, laying their three or four 

 eggs in grass lined hollows in the ground, or more rarely 

 in nests in bushes. The eggs are white or bluish white, 

 thickly spotted with several shades of brown. Size .S.5 x .ti2. 



They nest most often in thickets or on the edge of swamps, in just such }>laces 



as they are met with on their migrations. 



559. Tree Sparrow. Sjjizclla montimla. 



Range. — North America east of the Plains, breeding north of the United States 

 to the Arctic coast, east of the Rockies; winters within the United States. 



A larger bird fmt somewhat resembling the common Chipping Sparrow, but 

 browner above, with a black spot on the lireast and no black on the head. 

 They are c;iuite hardy fiirds and winter in many of the northern 

 states where they may be found in flocks upon the snow, feeding 

 on seeds of protruding weeds. They breed very abundantly in 

 Labrador and about Hudson Bay, placing their green nests in 

 hollows on the ground or moss; their three or four eggs are 

 greenish white, abundantly speckled all over the surface with red- 

 dish brown. Size .80x .55 Data.— Foothills of Black Mountain; 

 McKenzie River, Arctic America, June 13, LSliy. Nest on the 

 ground under a tuft of grass on level plain ; madeof grasses and moss and lined 

 with feathers. Collector, 1. O. Stringer. 

 559a. Western Tree Sparrow. SpizcUn mnntiroln (ichrariv. 



Range. — North America west of the Plains, Ijreeding in Alaska and wintering 

 to Mexico. A paler form of the last, the nesting habits and eggs of which are 

 the same. 



560. Chipping Sparrow. SpizcUa sorialis. 



Range. — North America east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf to the 

 interior of Canada and Newfoundland. 



White. I 



[<ireenish wliite.l 



