The Western Lark Sparrow 



assurance of his fitness. There are only two "elements" to consider, the 

 ground and the air, and the Lark Bunting is equally at home with either. 

 Be the wind never so fresh, the happy-hearted bird, all lark now, launches 

 vigorously and nutters up to a height of ten or twenty feet, singing the 

 while. Then he makes a parachute of his wings, bat-fashion, or like a 

 concave Y, and, struggling with the wind, or bent on ostentatious gal- 

 lantry, settles to the ground still singing. The song, which is not loud, 

 consists of a pleasing repetition of several very different phrases. By 

 phrases, in this instance, is meant a short succession of notes of one qual- 

 ity. Thus, one phrase will consist of four double notes given in the same 

 key, weo weo weo weo. Another, perhaps immediately succeeding, will be 

 an insect trill, like that of the Grasshopper Sparrow. The effect produced 

 by an endless succession of these rocketing birds is very impressive ; and 

 the Lark Bunting comes in time to symbolize all that is distinctive in the 

 life of the Great Plains. 



No. 39 



Western Lark Sparrow 



A. 0. U. No. 552a. Chondestes grammacus strigatus (Swainson). 



Synonyms. — Quail-head. Western Lark Finch. 



Description. — Adult: Head variegated, black, white, and chestnut; lateral 

 head-stripes black in front, chestnut behind; auriculars chestnut, bounded by rictal 

 and post-orbital black stripes; narrow loral, and broader submalar black stripes; 

 malar, superciliary, and median stripes white, the two latter becoming buffy behind; 

 upperparts buffish gray-brown, clearest on sides of neck, streaked by blackish brown 

 centers of feathers on middle back and scapulars, persisting as edging on the fuscous 

 wings and tail; tail-feathers, except middle pair, broadly (decreasingly from outermost) 

 tipped with white; below white, purest on throat and belly, washed with grayish buff 

 on sides and crissum, also obscurely across fore-breast, in which is situated a central 

 black spot. Bill dark brown above, darkening toward tip, paler below; feet and legs 

 pale brownish. Young birds lack the black and chestnut of head, and are more or less 

 streaked below, at least across breast. Length 158.8 (6.25); wing 87 (3.42); tail 70 

 (2.75); bill 12 (.47); tarsus 20.3 (.80). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; head variegated black, white, and chest- 

 nut; fan-shaped tail broadly tipped with white and conspicuous in flight. 



Nesting. — Nest: Either on the ground, more or less concealed by protecting 

 grass-clump or bush, or else in bush or tree at moderate heights; in the former instance 

 a more or less careless but thick-walled saucer of dried grasses, lined with horsehair; 

 in the latter, a sturdy deep cup built externally of twigs, weed-stems and grasses, or 

 string and trash, and heavily lined, as before, with horsehair, or, more rarely, rootlets. 

 Eggs: 4 or 5; ovate, or short ovate, often notably rounded; white, pinkish or bluish 

 white, spotted or scrawled in zigzags, or else finely scrolled about the larger end with 

 dark browns and purplish. Some examples are as finely scrolled as eggs of the Icterine 



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