304 Birds of Colorado 
Distribution.—The great plains of North America, breeding from 
north-west Nebraska northwards to Saskatchewan; in winter south 
through Texas and south-west through New Mexico and Arizona to 
north-west Mexico. 
In Colorado McCown’s Longspur is most common on migration on the 
eastern plains, and is also an irregular winter visitor. It has not been 
met with in the mountains or to the west. It has frequently been 
stated that it breeds in Colorado, but, so far as I know, there are no 
authentic records ef its doing so, though there is no reason why it 
should not. 
The records of its occurrence are few, viz.: Arkansas Valley 
in winter (Trippe), El Paso co., February (Aiken), May 
(Allen & Brewster), near Springfield, Baca co., April until 26th 
(Warren 06). 
Habits——This Longspur has much the same habits as 
the Chestnut-collared, and is often found in association 
with it; in flocks of considerable size it frequents dry, 
high country, where the grass is short, and where it 
roams about in search of food; as a rule when flushed 
it flies only a short distance with a circling, wavy flight. 
The nest is placed on the ground in the open ; it is loosely 
constructed of dry grass and lined with finer materials, 
often hair or feathers. The eggs, three to six in number, 
are dull greenish to olive-white, speckled and spotted 
with varying shades of reddish-brown to black. 
Genus POCECETES. 
Medium-sized Sparrow-like birds, with moderate bills, the upper 
mandible very distinctly deeper than the lower; nostrils exposed ; 
wings fairly long and pointed, but the difference between the primaries 
and secondaries less than the length of the tarsus; tail slightly emar- 
ginate, with the lateral tail-feathers white, and about -75 length of 
wing ; tarsus stout, hind claw normal not straight, less than the length 
of its toe; plumage streaked above and across the breast; no yellow 
or red. 
This genus contains one species, consisting of three recognizable 
races, spread over temperate North America. 
The following is a key to the Colorado Grass-Sparrows contained in 
this and the next four genera, which are somewhat difficult of dis- 
crimination. 
