248 ' LAND BIRDS 



greens. His big bill serves to identify him, and during 

 the warm June days his loud clear song rings out from 

 all the thickets early and late. In the winter this sub- 

 species migrates southward to the San Diegan district. 



585 a. STEPHENS SPARROW. — Passerella iliaca 



stephensi. 



Family : The Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 7.10-7.90. 



Adults: Similar to thick-billed sparrow, but averaging somewhat larger, 



with much larger bill. 

 Geographical Distribution : Mountains of California. 

 California Breeding Range: In Boreal zone on southern Sierra Nevada. 

 Breeding Season: April and May. 

 Nest and Eggs: Similar to those of the thick-billed sparrow. 



591b. CALIFORNIAN TOWHEK — Hortulanusfuscus 

 crissalis. 



Family: The Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 8.50-9.00. 



Adults : Upper parts uniform grayish brown, darker on head ; throat 



pale rusty, marked with dusky ; belly whitish, washed on sides with 



grayish brown. 

 Young : .Similar to adults, but browner ; under parts buffy white ; throat 



and belly rusty ; throat streaked with darker. 

 Geographical Distribution : California, west of the Sierra Nevada from 



Shasta Couuty, south to Santa Barbara County. 

 California Breeding Range: Upper Sonoran zone, west of the Sierra 



Nevada, south to latitude 35°, north to 'Shasta valley. 

 Breeding Season : April and May. 

 Nest : In trees or bushes, usually from 3 to 5 feet from the ground • 



occasionally in hollow trunks of trees, or in crevices of vine-covered 



rocks of canons ; made of twigs, bark, and grass ; lined with rootlets. 

 Eggs : 4 or 5 ; bluish, marked with various shades of dark and light 



purple and black. Size 0.92 X 0.73. 



The Californian Towhee is the brown chippie, or long- 

 tailed chippie, of common parlance throughout most of 



