The Desert Sparrow 



chest outlined against whitish of underparts, and separated from grayish 

 dusky of cheeks by white malar stripe; lores, apparently including eye, 

 black; brilliant white superciliary stripe; crow r n and back warm light 

 brown. It was a costume of distinction, yet when the stranger's black 

 bib was averted he was instantly lost to view in the engulfing neutrals. 

 Later, a female, scarcely different in appearance, was glimpsed as she 

 flitted coquettishly from bush to bush, in company with her liege lord; 

 but the most diligent search failed to discover a nest, if such there was. 

 Nesting was almost certainly upon the gallant's mind, for he sang at 



faithful 

 intervals. The 

 notes of his 

 brief but musi- 

 cal offering 

 had something 

 of the gushing 

 and twinkling 

 quality of a 

 Western Lark 

 Sparrow. A 

 variant form, 

 whew, whew, 

 w hi 1 1 e r e r , 

 began nicely, 

 but degen- 

 erated in the 

 last member 

 into the metal- 

 lic clinking of 

 a Spurred To- 

 whee. Again, 

 the opening 

 notes were 

 given alone, 

 whew whew or 

 chew chew, as 

 though the 

 singer sensed 

 danger and 



Taken in San Bernardino County Photo by Wright M. Pierce ^ 



A WELL-GUARDED HOME mind. 



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