510 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
and back of neck clear ash, more or less streaked with black on the hind-neck; middle of 
back and scapulars rusty brown, streaked with black; rump and upper tail-coverts plain 
gray; under parts plain light gray, darkest on breast and sides, nearly white on throat 
and belly; wings and tail brownish-gray, the wings with two narrow bars of white or buffy 
white, the tail unmarked; bill entirely black; iris brown. In winter or late autumn the 
colors become duller, the reddish crown often streaked with blackish, the under parts washed 
with brownish, and the bill brown. Young: At first the crown is light brown, narrowly 
striped with blackish, and the entire under parts are streaked with whitish and dusky; 
later the streaks beneath disappear, but the streaked crown is retained, together with a 
broad whitish stripe over and behind the eye. Length 5. to 5.85 inches; wing 2.55 to 2.90; 
tail 2.20 to 2.60. 
232. Clay-colored Sparrow. Spizella pallida (Swains.). (561) 
Synonyms: Emberiza pallida, Swainson, 1831.—Emberiza shattuckii, Aud., 1843.— 
Spizella pusio, Sharpe.—Spizella pallida of most authors. 
In coloration somewhat resembling an immature Chipping Sparrow 
with unstreaked under parts, but in proportions of wing and tail much 
like the Field Sparrow, that is, with the wing about the same length as the 
tail or even shorter. Only to be identified by the expert. 
Distribution.—Interior of North America, from Illinois and Iowa west 
to the Rocky Mountains, Arizona, etc., and north to the Saskatchewan 
Plains. Breeds from Jowa and Nebraska northward. 
This is a western sparrow which appears to enter Michigan merely as a 
straggler during migrations. It has been reported several times from 
different parts of the state, but on investigation most of these records have 
proved to be incorrect. The only Michigan specimens known to us at 
present are one taken by P. A. Taverner, at Port Huron, St. Clair county, 
May 2, 1901, and now in the collection of J. H. Fleming of Toronto, and one 
taken on Isle Royale, Lake Superior, August 25, 1904, by W. A. Maclean, 
and now in the University Museum at Ann Arbor. This latter specimen 
was identified by H. C. Oberholzer, Washington, ‘and the writer also has 
examined it. Mr. Norman A. Wood who was in charge of the party when 
this bird was taken, states that another was seen on the following day, 
and one each on August 28 and 381. 
In general appearance and habits this species shows an odd mixture 
of the peculiarities of the Chipping Sparrow and Field Sparrow, nesting 
very near the ground and usually away from human habitations, but re- 
sembling the Chipping Sparrow somewhat in coloration, and its song lacking 
entirely the musical qualities of the Field Sparrow’s. Seton Thompson 
describes its song as ‘A sound like a fly in a newspaper, ‘scree-scree-scree,’ 
sometimes giving but one note and at other times in the height of the 
season repeating the dulcet five or six times.’? Mr. Currier, describing its 
habits at Leach Lake, Minn., speaks of its song as ‘A buzzing, rasping 
noise, a little like the song of the cicada, but not so musical and given 
with more vigor. Afriend * * * would call the bird nothing but the 
‘Rasper.’” 
The nest is placed in low bushes, often within a few inches of the ground. 
The eggs are three to six, light greenish blue, speckled with brown, mostly 
at the larger end, and averaging .66 by .49 inches. 
Since this species occurs regularly, though not very abundantly, in parts 
of Wisconsin, and plentifully in northern Minnesota, it is not impossible 
that it may prove to be a regular migrant, or possibly even a summer 
resident, in the western half of the Upper Peninsula, but as yet we have 
nothing to warrant such a belief. 
