394 XESTS AND EOGS OF 



585. FOX SPARROW. Passerella Viara (Merr.) Geog. Dist.— Northern North. 

 America, breeding north of the United States; in winter south over the whole of the 

 Eastern United States to the Gulf coast. 



The Fox-colored Sparrow is one of the largest and finest of its tribe. Breed* 

 from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Labrador north into Alaska. It is met with In 

 Eastern United States during the spring, fall and in winter. The Fox Sparrow in 

 its summer home is said to be a charming songster, possessing a clear thrush-like 

 song of exquisite melody, fairly rivaling the warblings of the ablest feathered per- 

 formers in the sweetness and purity of tone and beauty of expression. Audubon met 

 with it breeding in Labrador, and found its eggs from the middle of June to the 5th 

 of July. It also breeds in Newfoundland. Nests of this species were, according to 

 the reports of Mr. MacParlane and Mr. Kennicott, found in trees and on th£ ground 

 in the Arctic regions. Mr. W. H. Dall obtained the eggs on the Yukon river in 

 Alaska, and the birds were very abundant at the mouth of this river in July and also 

 at St. Michael's. Mr. Maynard found this species nesting on the Magdalen Islands. 

 According to these observers the nests are, for the most part, placed on the ground, 

 usually concealed by the drooping branches of evergreens. They are composed of 

 grass and moss, lined with fine grass and feathers. The eggs are four or five, pale 

 bluish-green, speckled, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown, or uniform choco- 

 late-brown; size .93X.65 inches. 



585a. TOWNSEND'S SPARROW. Passerella iliaca unalasclwensis (Gmel. 

 Geog. Dist. — Pacific coast region, from Kadiak south in winter to Southern California. 



This bird breeds north of the United States — from British Columbia north to 

 Kadiak and coast of Alaska, west to Unalaska Islands. It has been found breeding 

 on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in May and June, and at St. Michael's, 

 Alaska. In its habits it is said to be shy and retiring, frequenting the tangled thick- 

 ets and brush-piles. In these its nest is built, commonly a few inches above the 

 ground. The nest is described as being made of grasses, moss and vegetable fibres 

 compactly woven together. The eggs, three to five in number, are described as of a 

 greenish or dull brownish-white, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown; size 

 .90X.66. 



5856. THICK-BILLED SPARROW. Passerella iliaca megarhyncha (Baird.) 

 Geog. Dist. — Mountain ranges of California and Oregon, including eastern slope of 

 the Sierra Nevada. 



This species ip confined to the restricted area of the mountainous regions of Cali- 

 fornia and Oregon. Its habits are much the sama as those of P. unalaschcensis, 

 inhabiting the shrubbery of the mountain ravines, where it breeds. It is said to be 

 an exquisite songster, its song resembling in richness and volume that of the 

 Louisiana Water Thrush. The Thick-billed Sparrow has been found breeding in 

 several places in California and Southeastern Oregon. Mr. L. Belding found it nest- 

 ing in Calaveras county, California, in June. The nest is said to be built just above 

 the ground, and sometimes at a height of five feet, and always in bushes amongst 

 thickets. The eggs are like those of P. unalaschcensis, or those of schistacea, and 

 average .86x.64 inches. 



585c. SLATE-COLORED SPARROW. Passerella iliaca scMstaeea (Baird.) 

 Geog. Dist. — Rocky Mountain region, west across the Great Plains into California 

 and Oregon; east in winter to the Great Plains (Kansas). 



