SPARROWS 



(552) Chondestes grammacus 

 grammacus 



iSny) (Gr.. grain eater; marked with a 

 line, relating to the stripes on the head). 



LARK SPARROW. Ads— Plum- 

 age as shown; two lateral crown 

 stripes and patch on ears chestnut; 

 tail dusky, the outer feathers broadly 

 tipped with white. Im. — Body like 

 that of adults, but the chestnut on 

 the head is replaced by dull brownish. 

 L., 6.2s;W., 3.50; T., 2.7s; B., .45. 

 A^cst — On the ground ; three to live 

 white eggs, sparingly scrawled with 

 black about the large end, .So x .60. 



Range — Breeds from Minn, and 

 N. Dak. south to La., east to Pa. 

 Casual in Mass. and N. J. (sS2a) 

 WESTERN LARK SPARROW (C. 

 g. strigatus). A paler race found 

 west of the Plains to the Pacific. 



the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts, and a very dark species 

 along the Indian River in Florida. 



LARK SPARROWS are very common in the Central and 

 Western States and are of casual occurrence east to the 

 Atlantic coast. Dry fields and dusty roadsides are the 

 favorite haunts of this species. It can very easily be dis- 

 tinguished from any other sparrow by the black and chestnut 

 head markings, by the light under parts with a blackish spot 

 in the middle of the breast, and by the fact that all the outer 

 tail feathers are broadly tipped with white, this last an 

 unusual feature for a typical sparrow. They have a pleasing 

 song which many regard as more musical than that of any 

 other sparrow. It is loud and clear, having something of the 

 character of that of the Vesper Sparrow but of much longer 

 duration. It has an added attraction in that the song is 

 heard on hot summer days, when most other birds are silent. 



Their nests are placed on the ground or in bushes in 

 stubble-land, pastures, or on prairies; made chiefly of 



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