NORTB AMERICAN BIRDS. 371 



Mr. B. T. Gault found this sparrow to be very abundant in the salt marshes in 

 the vicinity of National City, San Diego county, California, in the spring of 1883. A 

 nest containing three fresh eggs was found May 24; it waa situated in a patch of 

 marsh weed, apparently raised a little above the ground — several feet above tide- 

 water mark, and was completely saturated with water; notwithstanding the damp- 

 ness of the nest the eggs were warjn to the touch, as the female had just left the nest. 

 The structure was composed almost exclusively of weed stalks, with a little grass and 

 a few feathers, arranged in a careless manner. The ground-color of the eggs is dirty- 

 white, of a brownish tinge, caused by minute specks of brown and lavender. The 

 eggs had a,, pinkish tinge before they were emptied of their contents. The spots and 

 specks are of lavender, and the blotches of amber-brown, congregating principally to- 

 ward the larger end, with an occasional streak of a darker brown shade; their sizes 

 are .76x.58, .77x.59, .78x.58.* 



544. LARGE-BILLED SPARROW. Ammodramus rostratus Cass. Geog. 

 Dist. — Coast of Southern California, south in winter to Cape St. Lucas and North- 

 western Mexico. 



The summer home of this species is along the coast of Southern California. The 

 general habits of this curious bird are similar to those of Belding's Marsh Sparrow. 

 It inhabits the marshes of the seashore, and its nesting and eggs are similar to those 

 of A. beldinT^i. 



544o. ST. LtrCAS SPARROW. Ammodramus rostratus guttatus (Lawr.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Southern Lower California. 



This is a generally darker form than the last species, with characteristics and 

 habits identical. It is found at Cape St. Lucas. 



544. 1. SAIT BENITO SPARROW. Ammodramus sanctorum Coues. Geog. 

 Dist. — San Benito Island, Lower California. 



This Is a larger species than the last race with a differently-shaped bill, etc. 



545. BAIRD'S SPARROW. Ammodramus bairdii (Aud.) Geog. Dist. — Interior 

 portions of North America, from the Plains of Dakota and Montana to the Saskatch- 

 ewan, south in winter to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. 



In the summer months this species is found on the plains and prairies of the 

 Dakotas and Montana, north to the Saskatchewan. The bird remained for a long 

 time almost unknown, until Dr. Coues found It breeding in profusion on the prairies 

 of the Dakotas in some places outnumbering all the other birds together. In general 

 habits and appearance in life it is quite like the Savannah Sparrows. Dr. Coues 

 states that the song of this species is peculiar, consisting of two or three distinct 

 syllables, of a mellow, tinkling tone, running into an indefinite trill, like zip-zip- 

 £ip-zr-r-r-r. The nest is a slight affair, made of grasses and weed-stalks on the 

 ground; its diameter is about four inches. The eggs are laid in June and July, and 

 they range from three to five in number, being similar to those of the Vesper Spar- 

 row. They are whitish of varying tints, irregularly spotted, speckled, and blotched, 

 with palv, and dark reddish-brown; average size .80x.65 inches. 



546. GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. Ammodramus savannarum passerinua 

 (Wils.) Geog. Dist. — Eastern United States and Southern Canada to the Great Plains 

 wintering in the Gulf States, Bahamas, Cuba and Porto Rico. 



• Bulletin No. 2, pp. 5S-60, Ridffway Dm. Club. 



