Western Field-Sparrow 373 
Habits.—Brewer’s Sparrow hardly differs from the 
Chipping or Clay-coloured Sparrow in habits, except 
that it is a more western species and affects the sage bush 
(Artemesia) and greasewood (Sarcobatus) country rather 
than the grassy plains. It has a short, weak, tinkling 
song, and is frequently met with in flocks with Chipping 
Sparrows. It undoubtedly breeds in Colorado, but I 
have not met with any notice or description of its doing 
so. Mrs. Bailey states that the nest is placed in a sage 
bush and is made of fine grass stems and leaves, lined 
with horsehair; the eggs, usually four, closely resemble 
those of the Clay-coloured Sparrow, but are rather more 
distinctly marked. 
Western Field-Sparrow. Spizella pusilla arenacea. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 563a—Colorado Record—Cooke 09, p. 314. 
Description.—Sexes alike ; crown (generally with a median stripe of 
grey), ear-coverts and postocular region dull chestnut ; no decided black 
or white about the head; back brownish-ash with black streaks and 
pale edgings; below white unmarked, but washed with pale greyish- 
brown on the sides and breast; tips of the middle and greater coverts 
whitish, forming two cross-bands more or less distinct ; iris brown, bill 
cinnamon-rufous, legs pale brown. Length 5-75; wing 2-75; tail 
2-70; culmen -35; tarsus -75. Young birds have the chest and sides 
streaked with dusky, and the crown duller and slightly streaked as well. 
Distribution.—The western portion of the Great Plains, breeding from 
Nebraska to eastern Montana; south in winter to southern Texas. 
This bird has only recently been detected in Colorado. Miss Jennie 
Patten observed one at Yuma on May 9th to 11th, 1908. It is probably 
not uncommon in the eastern portion of the State. 
Genus JUNCO. 
Medium-sized, semi-terrestrial Finches with wings from three to four 
inches, and rather small, conical and generally pale coloured bills ; 
nostrils nearly concealed by bristles ; wing moderately long and pointed, 
the ninth (outer) primary shorter than the fifth, usually longer than the 
fourth, the eighth and seventh the longest ; tail long, at least (except 
in J. hyemalis) -90 of the wing, double-rounded, the outer and central 
feathers slightly shorter than the intermediate ones. Plumage (in all 
Colorado forms) plain greys and browns, without streaks in the 
adults, and with the outer tail-feathers always white. 
