152 CASSIN'S SPAKHOW. 



Fredericksburg I found the bird particularly common, but near La Grange, Schulenburg, 

 Weimar, and Brenham it was also found more or less numerous, while near Houston it 

 was a rare bird. In the region of the lower Rio Grande it prevails, according to Dr. 

 Merrill and Mr. Geo. B. Sennett, in considerable numbers, especially near Brownsville. 

 To the west it is distributed through southern Arizona, and in western and middle 

 Kansas it seems to find the northern limit of its range. Northern Mexico is the southern 

 limit of its breeding range. 



In Lee County and near Austin, Texas, Cassin's Sparrow arrives about March 20, 

 remaining to the last days of October, when the largest number leave in scattered com- 

 panies for the South. In spring, immediately after their arrival, the air is ftill of the 

 sweetest music, as almost every male mounts the top of a small tree or shrub, pouring 

 forth his most delightful strain. The song reminded me first strongly of that of the 

 Bachman's Sparrow, though it has some peculiarities which cannot be described, but 

 must be heard in order to notice the difference. It sings most diligently before sunrise 

 or late in the afternoon. During the calm nights of March and April, w^hen the 

 nocturnal sounds of the Chuck- will's- widow, the enchanting song of the Mockingbird, 

 and the loud what cheer, what cheer, of the Cardinal mingle with the notes of this 

 Sparrow, when the air is full of the sweet fragrance exhaled by the flowering willow 

 and the evergreen sophora or the strong carnation odor of the deciduous sophora (Sophora 

 a&nis) — this song is especially beautiful. The bird also sings frequently w^hile rising in 

 the air. The song is not loud, but very sw^eet and ventriloquial. 



Cassin's Sparrow, like all the other members of the genus, is a shy bird. Its 

 neutral colors render it almost invisible w^hile resting, and when approached it darts 

 into the thickest of bushes. Its food, which consists in spring and summer mainly of 

 insects, and in late fall and winter almost entirely of seeds of weeds and grasses, is 

 mostly gathered from the ground. It only mounts trees and bushes when flushed or for 

 the purpose of chanting its song. 



The nests which I had an opportunity to examine, were all placed on the ground, 

 near a tuft of grass or on the side of a low spiny cactus. A typical nest found May 3, 

 1882, was built under the overhanging leaves of the Yucca filamentosa in a mesquit 

 prairie. It was constructed of grasses, lined with finer grasses and some horse hair. 

 The four eggs were white, immaculate. 



In its habits, Cassin's Sparrow is the very counterpart of the Pine-woods Sparrow, 

 and it is, therefore, not necessary to enter into a more elaborate description. 



NAMES: Cassin's Sparrow, Mesquit Sparrow. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Zonotrichia cass/m Woodh. (1852). PEUCMA CASSINI Baird (1858). 



DESCRIPTION: "Above, grayish, spotted with clear umber-brown and dusky, the upper tail-coverts with 

 subterminal transverse, more or less crescentic, spots of dusky; beneath, dull grayish-white, faintly 

 tinged with brownish on chest and sides. 



"Length, 6.00 to 6.75 inches; wing, 2.50 to 2.70; tail, 2.65 to 2.90 inches." (Ridgway.) 



Several less known species of this genus enter our ten-itory from Mexico or occur 

 in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. As they all seem to agi-ee in their habits with 

 the Pine-woods Sparrow, it suffices, to make short mention of them. 



