DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 333 



learned to shell the nuts and provide for themselves. 

 Then it would seem a complete change of diet was 

 necessary; for they disappeared from these regions en- 

 tirely, flocking to a locality where berries, fish, and in- 

 sects abound. By the middle of June not one was left 

 in the old breeding grounds. We missed their harsh 

 "jar-jaar," the flash of their black and white wings in 

 the summer sunlight, and the woods seemed strangely 

 silent bereft of their, gay company. 



567 a. OREGON 1 JUNCO. — Junco oreganus. 

 Family : The Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 6.00-6.50. 



Adult Male : Head, neck, and chest black or dark slate-color ; the chest 

 line being convex instead of straight against the white under parts ; 

 middle of back dark brown ; sides deep pinkish brown ; three outer 

 tail-feathers white ; outside pair entirely white. 



Adult Female : Similar to male, but slate-color in place of black ; crown 

 and hind-neck washed with brown, remainder of upper parts brown- 

 ish ; sides and flank dull pinkish brown. 



Young: Upper parts brown and streaked ; under parts buffy. 



Geographical Distribution : Pacific coast, Alaska to British Columbia ; 

 south in winter to California, east to Eastern Oregon and Nevada. 



Breeding Range : From British Columbia northward. 



Breeding Season : April to July. 



Nest : Of dry grasses loosely put together ; lined with cow hair ; placed 

 generally on or near the ground, in holes among the roots of bushes 

 and trees, and often under wood piles. 



s : 4 or 5 ; whitish or greenish white, more or less specked with red- 

 dish brown. Size 0.77 X 0.56. 



