960 Eepokt of State Geologist. 



rump, grayish-brown. Below, white, the breast and sides tinged with 

 grayish-brown; an indistinct brownish stripe on each side of throat. 

 Immature. — More rusty aboTe; streaked with dusky below. 



Length, 5.00-5.75; wing, 2.30-3.50; tail, 3.30-3.60. 



Remarks. — This Sparrow is smaller than S. socialis, and has not 

 the bluish rump. 



Eangb. — Interior of North America, north to the Saskatchewan, 

 and from the base of the Eocky Mountains east to Indiana and Mich- 

 igan. Breeds from northern Nebraska and northern Illinois, north. 

 Winters from central Texas west to Cape St. Lucas and south to 

 Oaxaca. 



Nest, of grass, lined with hair; in bush, or on ground. Eggs, 3-5; 

 similar to those of 8. socialis. 



Bare migrant; possibly locally rare summer resident. Prof. W. S. 

 Blatchley shot a bird of this species from a flock of Sparrows near 

 Terre Haute, September 37, 1890. This is the only record of its, 

 occurrence in this State. Mr. E. W. Nelson notes that specimens 

 have been taken near Chicago, and that it is a rare stimmer resident 

 about the borders of prairies (Bull. Essex Inst., Vol. VIII., Dec, 

 1876, p. 108). Prof. A. J. Cook (Birds of Mich., p. 114) notes its 

 occurrence in Michigan, notably in "Coyert's Birds of Washtenaw 

 County," and Mr. L. Whitney Watkins took several specimens from 

 about forty seen at Manchester, Mich., September 3, 1894. It has 

 not yet been reported from Ohio. This is one of the birds of the 

 interior plains of America, extending eastward to the old prairie lim- 

 its. Mr. E. E. Thompson says it has a singular lisping song, which he 

 describes as follows: "The bird mounts some perch, and, with head 

 thrown back and with gaping beak, utters a sound like a fly in a 

 newspaper — 'scree-scree-scree'^ — sometimes giving but one note, and 

 at other times, in the height of the season especially, repeating the 

 dulcet note five or six times" (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XIII., pp. 

 601, 603). 



"This species is readily distinguishable from the other American 

 Spizellas, except 8. Ireweri, in the dark streaks and medium ashy 

 stripe on the crown, the paler tints, the dark line on the side of the 

 chin, etc." (B. B. and E., History N. A. Birds). 



Prof. F. H. King examined the stomachs of 13 and found they 

 contained 6 beetles, 13 hemiptera, principally plant lice; 1 grasshop- 

 per, 1 larva, and other insects; 7 had eaten small seeds (Geol. of Wis., 

 L, p. 540). 



