AMMODRAMUS. 407 
82-90 (.84). Eggs .84 xX .60. Hab. Western North America, north into 
British America, east to Manitoba and eastern border of the Great Plains, 
south to plateau of Mexico. 
(59) 540a. P. gramineus confinis Bairp. Western Vesper Sparrow. 
Genus AMMODRAMUS Swainson. (Page 384, pl. CVIIL, figs. 3-7; pl. CIX,, 
fig. 1.) 
Species. 
Common Cuaracrers.—Upper parts conspicuously streaked (except in A. ma- 
ritimus), the chest and sides also streaked in most species; some species with the 
edge of the wing and a supraloral streak yellow. Vest on ground, in grassy places, 
or in grass or sedges in marshes. Hggs 3-6, speckled or spotted. 
a, Outer pair of tail-feathers longer than middle pair; difference between length 
of tail and wing much greater than length of bill from nostril (the wing 
much the longer), and depth of bill at base much less than its length from 
nostril. 
o. Tail slightly emarginate, or double-rounded, the depth of the emargination 
much less than the distance from eye to nostril, the feathers broader and 
less pointed at tip; no buff on crown. West on ground, in meadows or 
other grassy places. Hggs pale brownish, varying to dull whitish, or 
greenish white, spotted, speckled, or blotched with brown, occasionally 
with a few darker lines or spots. (Subgenus Passerculus Bonar.) 
c. Culmen straight or even depressed (concave) in middle portion, the bill 
decidedly compressed; primaries exceeding tertials by more than 
length of exposed culmen; upper parts conspicuously streaked with 
blackish. 
d'. Exposed culmen not longer than hind-toe, without claw, and wing 
more than seven times as long as exposed culmen. 
Above pale grayish, the top of head and back streaked with 
pale brown and blackish, the latter enclosed as a narrower 
streak within the former; median stripe on crown dull 
light grayish buff or dull buffy whitish; superciliary stripe 
similar, but paler, rarely yellowish anteriorly; outer sur- 
face of greater wing-coverts and tertials pale buffy brown ; 
malar stripe pale buff or whitish ; lower parts white tinged 
with pale brownish buff along sides (sometimes across chest 
also), the chest and sides streaked with brown (darker me- 
dially); length 6.00-6.75 (6.50), wing 2.85-3.20 (3.02), tail 
2.25-2.55 (2.38), exposed culmen .38-.45 (.41), depth of bill 
at base .25-.28 (.26), tarsus .85-.95 (.93). Hyggs .81 x .62. 
Hab. Breeding on Sable Island, Nova Scotia; in winter, 
migrating along Atlantic coast, south to Virginia and coast 
of Texas... 541. A. princeps (Mayrn.). Ipswich Sparrow. 
