FBINGILLIB^ : FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPABBOWS, ETC. 



363 



««T. 



339. 



338. 



230. 



P. s. sava'na. (Spanish sabama or somcma, a meadow. Fig. 237.) Common Savanna Spar- 

 row. (J ? , adult, in spring : Thickly streaked everywhere above, on sides, and across breast ; 

 a superciliary line, and edge of the wing, yellowish; lesserwing-coverts wot chestnut; legs flesh- 

 color ; bUl rather slender and acute ; tail nearly even, its outer feathers not white ; longest 

 secondary nearly as long as the primaries in the closed wing. Above, brownish-gray, streaked 

 with blackish, whitish-gray and pale bay, the streaks largest on interscapulars, smallest on 

 cervix, the crown divided by an obscure whitish line ; sometimes an obscure yellowish suffusion 

 about head besides the streak over the eye. Below, white, pure or with faint buffy shade, 

 thickly streaked, as just stated, with dusky — the individual spots edged with brown, mostly 

 arrow-shaped, running in chains along the sides, and often aggregated in an obscure blotch on 

 the breast. Wings dusky, the coverts and 

 inner secondaries black-edged and tipped 

 with bright bay ; tail-feathers rather nar- 

 row and pointed, dusky, not noticeably 

 marked. Extreme dimensions of both 

 sexes: Length 5.30-6.00; extent 8.50- 

 10.00! wing 2.4.0-3.00; tail 1.75-2.25; 

 tarsus 0.75-0.88 ; but such figures are rare. 

 Average of both sexes 5.25; extent 8.75; 

 wing 2.60 ; tail 3.00 ; tarsus 0.84. $ usu- 

 ally 5.30-5.60; extent 9.00-9.50; wing 

 2.67-2.75; 9 usually 5.00-5.30; extent 

 8.75-9.00; wing 3.50-2.67. Ordinarily, 

 biU about 0.40 ; tarsus, middle toe and claw 

 together 1.50. PaU and winter specimens 

 much more brightly colored than spring 

 and summer ones ; the young particularly 

 having much ochrey or buffy suffusion, in- 

 stead of clean colors, more brown and bay, instead of dusky and gray. It is not easy for an un- 

 practised person to discriminate the small sparrows, and so variable a one as this offers' special 

 difficulty ; attention to the points oiform as weU as of color is requisite. North Amer. at large, 

 chiefly Eastern, very abundant everywhere in fields, on plains, by the wayside, and along the 

 sea-shore ; a thoroughly terrestrial bird, migratory, and in the fall somewhat gregarious. Has 

 an agreeable though weak song in the spring. Winters at least from Middle States southward, 

 and breeds at least from New England to highest latitudes. Nest sunken in ground fiush 

 with surface, of a few grasses and weed-stalks; eggs 4-6, 0.70 X 0.50, varying interminably 

 in their motley coloring ; usually heavily clouded and blotched with dark brown ; most like 

 those of Pocecetes, but smaller. 



P. s. alaudi'nus. (Lat. alaudinus, lark-like ; no applicability.) Lark Savanna Sparrow. 

 So similar to the last as only to be distinguished by rather duUer and paler coloration on an 

 average, and weaker bill, about 0.35 long by 0.20 deep at the base. If the " savanna spar- 

 row" be split into several races, this may possibly be allowed with the rest. Western U. S. 

 P. s. anthi'nus. (Lat. cmthmus, pipit-like ; no applicability.) Pipit Savanna Sparrow. 

 A form from the Pacific marshes, especially the coast of Cala., better marked than the last. 

 Bill as long as in savana, but slenderer; under parts more sharply, closely, darkly and 

 extensively streaked. Yellow eyebrow and bend of wing quite as well marked as in saeaiWf, 

 and therefore contrasting with the paler and grayer alandmus with which it is associated. 

 P. rostra'tns. (Lat. roskatus, beaked ; rostrwm, beak.) Beaked Savanna Sparrow. 

 San Diego Savanna Sparrow. Sea-shore Sparrow. With the form of a Savanna, but 

 the bill elongated as in Ammodkamus, yet very stout and turgid, with decidedly convex 



Fie. 227. — Common Savanna Sparrow, reduced, 

 pari del. Nicliols so. ) 



(Sliep- 



