The Large-billed Sparrows 



California; and that he had seen other such ministering to scattered 

 young in the neighborhood of Oceanside, above San Diego. Mr. A. M. 

 Ingersoll also believes that he once saw a nesting female near San Diego. 

 These records probably do mark the breeding range of the species, al- 

 though it may extend considerably further southward. It is surmised, 

 also, that the Large-billed Sparrow nests on drier ground, or at least that 

 it does not invade the salt marshes, which are the peculiar province 

 of P. beldingi. 



The case is an interesting one, because Large-billed Sparrows are 

 of regular occurrence, except during the breeding season, all along our 



Taken in Santa Barbara Photo by the Author 



LARGE-BILLED MARSH SPARROW EATING OATS 



southern coasts as far north at least as Santa Barbara; and there is one 

 record of a specimen taken at Santa Cruz, August 27, 1895. 



If the surmise of a southern breeding haunt proves to be correct 

 we shall have here, as pointed out by Dr. Grinnelh'an example, unique 

 among our land birds, of a northward autumnal migration with compensa- 

 tory vernal return. The bird also winters along the shores of Lower 

 California and western Mexico, in proportions not yet defined; but inas- 

 much as it is a strictly littoral species, never being found at rest above 

 half a mile from salt water, it is not altogether surprising that the bird 

 should seek to expand its range in both directions. 



'Auk, Vol. XXII. . Jan., 1905, p. 20. 



262 



