16S POX SPARROWS. 



DESCRIPTION: Sex, alike. '.'General aspect of upper parts, foxy-red, the ground-color and the sides of neck 

 being ashy; the interscapular feathers each with a large blotch of fox-red; this color glossing the top 

 of head and nape, sometimes faintly, sometimes more distinctly ; the rump unmarlied ; the upper coverts 

 and surface of the tail continuous fox-red. Two narrow white bands on the wing. Beneath, with 

 under tail-coverts and axillars, clear white; the sides of head and of throat, the jugulum, breast, and 

 sides of body, conspicuously and sharply blotched with fox-red; more triangular across breast, more 

 linear and darker on sides. Sometimes the entire head above is continuously reddish. 



"Length, 7.50 inches; wing, 3.50; tail, 2.90 inches." (B. B. & R. 11. p. 50.) 

 Townsend's Sparrow, Passerella iliaca utialaschcensis Ridgw., inhabits the Pacific 

 coast region, from Kadiak south, in winter, to southern California. In winter these 

 birds seem to be quite common in all suitable situations on our Pacific coast. 



Thick-billed Sparrow, Passerella iliaca megarhyncha Ridgw. This variety in- 

 habits the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range, California. According to Prof. R. Ridgway 

 it is a very common bird among the alder swamps in the ravines of the eastern slope 

 of the Sierra Nevada during- the summer. Near Carson City, April 25, in a swampy 

 thicket near the streams in the level slopes, he heard its beautiful song for the first time; 

 this was one of the most exquisitely rich utterances he ever heard. In richness and 

 volume it resembled that of the Louisiana Water Thrush, qualities in which that bird 

 is hardly equalled by any other North American bird. They were singing in all parts of 

 that swampy thicket, and up the ravines as far as the snow line. From the nature of 

 the place and the character of their song, they were at first supposed to be the Water 

 Thrush, until specimens of these exquisite songsters were secured. Prof. Ridgway 

 regards this bird as second to none of our singers, belonging to the Sparrow family, 

 and though in variety, sprightliness, and continuity, and also in passionate emotional 

 character, this song is not equal to that of the Lark Finch, yet it is far superior in 

 power and richness of tone. Mr. L. Belding found this Fox Sparrow nesting in Cala- 

 veras Co., Cal. The nest is described as being built just above the ground, and some- 

 times at a height of five feet, and always in bushes and thickets. The eggs are like 

 those of the Slate-colored Sparrow. This variety is larger than the type, with shorter 

 wings and tail and a decidedly thicker bill. 



Slate-colored Sparrow, Passerella iliaca schistacea Allen, occurs in the Rocky 

 Mountain region, west across the Great Basin into California and Oregon, east, in winter 

 to the Plains. Prof Robert Ridgway found the Slate-colored Sparrow very plentiful in 

 Parley's Park among the Wahsatch Mts., in June, nesting among the willows and other 

 shrubbery along the streams. There it is always found in company with the Mountain 

 Song Sparrow, which in song it greatly resembles, though its notes are quite distinct, 

 the ordinary one being a sharp chuck. The nests of the two species, he adds, were also 

 much alike in manner of construction and situation, and the eggs so similar, that it 

 required a careful observation to identify a nest when one was found. A nest, found by 

 Mr. Ridgway, June 23, 1869, is described in a more detailed way. It was built in a clump 

 of willows about two feet from the ground, being constructed externally of coarse decayed 

 water-grass, and lined with fine hair and finer grasses. The eggs, four in number, were 

 .80x -67 of an inch, of very rounded oval shape, the ground-color of a pale green, blotched 

 and marked, chiefly at the larger end, with brown spots of a wine-colored hue. 



DESCRIPTION: This form is readily distinguished by the slaty head, back, and slaty spots on the breast, 

 belly, and sides. 



