FBINGJLLIB^ : FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPAEBOWS, ETC. 



365 



233. 



77. 



234. 



colored or yellowishi. Length 5.75-6.25 ; extent 10.00-10.50 ; wing 2.80-3.25 j taU 2.25-2.75. 



North Amer. at large, breeding throughout its range, but partially migratory, chiefly nesting 



northward, and wintering southward. A large, stout, full-chested sparrow of plain appearance, 



but recognized on sight by the bay bend of the wing and white lateral tail feathers, — the latter 



conspicuous as it flies. Very abundant in fields, along roadsides ; terrestrial, gregarious to 



some extent when not breeding. Nest sunken in the ground, bulky, thick-rimmed, deeply 



cupped; eggs 4-6, heavily colored, as in P. savcma, 0.80 X 0.60; two or three broods may be 



reared. One of the sweetest songsters among the spaiTows. 



P. g. confl'nis. (Lat. coto^m, near.) Western Gkass Finch. The paler, grayer form from 



the dry western regions. 



COTURNI'CUIiUS. (Lat. cotwrnix, a quail; eotiMrmculMS, a little quaU.) Grasshoppbk 



Spakkows. BiU (in passermus and henslowi) short and stout, with curved culmen (in 



leeontii slenderer and more elongate). Wings extremely short and rounded, so that the inner 



secondaries reach nearly to the tip when closed, without special elongation on their part. Tail 



of variable length according to species, weak, of narrow, lanceolate feathers, in one species very 



tapering and acuminate. Feet stout, much as in Ammodramus. Plumage greatly variegated ; 



bu% tints conspicuous on under parts. Contains 3 remarkably distinct N. Am. species of queer 



little sparrows of grass, weeds, and reeds, with another of S. Am. (C manimbe). They show 



a greater range of variation in form than our finical modern genera usually allow, and shade 



through C- leeontii into Ammodramus. The name is appropriate; C. passerinus curiously 



resembles a quail in miniature. 



Analysis ly Species. 



Tail shorter than wings ; outstretched feet reaching to or beyond its end. Bill stout, brown. Adult not evi- 

 dently streaked below . passermus 234, 235 



Tall equal to wings. Sharp maxillary, pectoral and lateral streaks. Bill stout, brown . . . henslowi 236 

 Tall longer than wings ; outstretched feet not reaching its end. Bill slender, bluish. Sharp lateral without 



pectoral or maxillary streaks leeontii 237 



C. passerl'nus. (Lat. passerinus, sparrow-like. Fig. 229.) Yellow-winged Sparrow. 

 Quail Sparrow. Grasshopper Sparrow. $ 



9 , adult : Edge of wing conspicuously yel- 



low; lesser wing-coverts greenish-yellow ; a 

 yellow loral spot ; short line over eye bufiy- 

 yellow. Crown vidth median stripe of pale 

 brownish-yellow. Below, ochraceous or pale 

 buff or tawny, fading to whitish on belly, not 

 evidently streaked, though a few dark touches 

 may appear on sides of breast. Above, sin- 

 gularly variegated with black, gray, yeUow- 

 ish-brown and a peculiar purpUsh-bay, in 

 short streaks and specks ; the crown being 

 nearly black vrith sharp median brownish- 

 yellow stripe, the middle of the back chiefly 

 black with bay and brownish-yellow edgings 

 of the feathers, the cervical region and rump 

 chiefly bay and gray. When the feathers 

 are not disturbed, the peculiar pattern of the 

 cervical region separates that of the crown -. J p,^ , ^a" 



and back ; the markings extend on the sides pj^ 229 -Tellow-winged Sparrow, reduced. (Shep- 

 of the neck, but the sides of the head are pard del. Nichols so.) 



Biain, like the under parts. Wing-coverts and inner secondaries variegated in intricate pattern, 

 the general effect like the back. Primaries and taU-feathers plain dusky, with naiTow light edg- 

 ings; outer tail-feathers paler, but not white. Feet flesh-colored. Small: length 4.80-5.25; 



