144 SAG^ SPARROW. 



the Mohave River. With only a few exceptions, these were the only birds inhabiting 

 the desolate plains, where the artemisia (sage) is the almost exclusive vegetation. 

 When disturbed, the bird chants merrily from some bush top, but at the approach of 

 danger, drops at once to the ground and disappears in the shrubbery or weeds. Near 

 National City, San Diego, Los Angeles, and other places in southern California this is a 

 common bird, visiting frequently the orange groves and breeding sometimes in dense 

 ornamental shrubs and cacti. The nest is said to be built of dry grasses and lined with 

 finer grasses and sometimes hair. The eggs are light greenish-blue, marked with reddish- 

 purple and rusty spots. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Emberiza belli Cass. (1850). Poospiza belli Sclat. (1857). AMPHISPIZA BELLI 

 CouEs (1875). 



DESCRIPTION: "Upper parts, with sides of head and neck, uniform bluish-ash, tinged with yellowish-gray 

 on the crown and back ; beneath, pure white, tinged with yellowish-brown on the sides and under the 

 tail. Eyelids, short streak from the bill to above the eye, and small median spot at the base of cul- 

 men, white. A stripe on the sides of the throat and spot on upper part of breast, with a few streaks 

 on the sides, with the loral space and region round the eyes, plumbeous-black. Tail-feathers, black; 

 the outer edged with white. Wing-feathers all broadly edged with brownish-yellow; the elbow-joint 

 tinged with yellowish-green. Bill and feet, blue. 



"Length, 5.70 inches; wing, 2.80; tail, 2.90 inches." (B. B. & R.) 



SAGE SPARROW. 



Amphispiza belli nevadensis Ridgway. 



This is a local form of the foregoing and also known as the Artemisia Sparrow. 

 Being an inhabitant of the artemisia or sage plains north to Idado, Wyoming, Mon- 

 tana, east to Colorado and New Mexico, and south to the interior of southern California 

 and northern Mexico, it is probably nowhere more abundant than in Nevada. Prof^ 

 Robert Ridgway, at Carson City, February 27, heard for the first time its sweet sad 

 chant. A week later he found the sage brush full of these birds, the males being in full 

 song and answering one another from all directions. In walking through the sage brush, 

 these Sparrows were seen on every side, some running upon the ground with their tails 

 elevated, uttering a chipping twitter, as they sought to conceal themselves behind the 

 shrubs. Some were seen to alight upon the tops of dead stalks, where they sat with 

 their tails expanded almost precisely after the manner of the Kingbird. The song of this 

 bird is feeble, but is unsurpassed for sweetness and sadness of tone. While its effect is 

 very like the song of the Meadow Lark singing afar oif, there is, besides its peculiar 

 sadness, something quite unique in its modulation and delivery. It is a chant, in style 

 somev/hat like the spring warbling of the Shore Lark. 



On. March 25, at Carson City, Mr. Ridgway found these Sparrows very abundant 

 and everywhere the predominating species, as it w^as also the most unsuspicious and 

 familiar. It was even difficult to keep them from under the feet. A pair would often 

 run before Mr. Ridgway for a distance of several rods with their unexpanded tails 

 elevated, and when too nearly approached would only dodge in among the bushes instead 

 of flying off. On the 9th of April, walking among the sage brush near that city, he 

 found several nests of this Sparrow, the female pai-ent in each instance betraying the 



