The Fox Sparrows 



No. 64 



Swamp Sparrow 



A. O. U. No. 584. Melospiza georgiana (Latham). 



Synonym. — Swamp Song Sparrow. 



Description. — Adults (sexes alike): Crown hazel; exposed edges of wings and 

 tail (strongest on greater wing-coverts) hazel, paling to cinnamomeous; remaining 

 upper plumage black, bordered by brownish buff}' or olivaceous, the blacks strongest 

 on forehead, occiput, upper back, and scapulars; the cervix invaded by gray, contin- 

 uous with sides of neck and breast; a clear gray superciliary stripe bordering the bay; 

 chin and throat and breast, centrally, white; the remaining under plumage heavily 

 washed with brownish gray, changing to brownish buffy on flanks and crissal region. 

 Bill dark above, lighter below; feet and tarsi light brown. Immature birds, even in 

 the second year (?), lack the hazel crown, having black with rusty edgings instead, 

 and are much more strongly brownish below and on sides. Adult males measure: 

 length about 142.2 (5.60) ; wing 62.5 (2.46); tail 59.2 (2.33); bill 11.7 (.46); tarsus 

 21.6 (.85). Females are smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size; a Song-Sparrow-like bird, unmarked below; 

 chestnut crown of adult with swamp-loving habits distinctive. 



General Range. — North America, chiefly east of the Great Plains. Breeds 

 from west central Alberta, central Keewatin, and Newfoundland south irregularly 

 to West Virginia, central Ohio, and northern Missouri; winters from about its southern 

 breeding range south to the Gulf and into Mexico. Accidental in Colorado, Utah, 

 Arizona, and now California. 



Occurrence in California. — One specimen taken Nov. 1, 1921, near Keeler, 

 Inyo County, by Mrs. May Canfield and Laurence M. Huey, now in the Dickey- 

 Collection (J 1797). 



Authority. — Dickey, Condor, vol. xxiv., 1922, p. 136 (Keeler, Inyo Co.). 



ISN'T this splendid! Think of coming two thousand miles from 

 home just to be enrolled in the California Society, Ltd ! Well ; some of 

 the rest of us have done as much, and they didn't shoot us for it — yet. 

 It was rather a mistake, though — no; of course I don't mean that. I 

 mean it was a mistake for this little bird to suppose that we needed 

 Song Sparrows in California. Why, we already have twenty varieties 

 on our hands; and if we needed more, Dr. Grinnell could attend to it. 

 Birdie, I guess you got what was coming to you — "J 1797"! 



No. 65 



Fox Sparrow 



No. 65 Fox-colored Sparrow 



A. O. L T . No. 585. Passerella iliaca iliaca (Merrem). 



Synonym. — Eastern Fox Sparrow. 



Description. — Adult (sexes alike): In general hazel brown, mingled with slaty 

 gray and olivaceous above, and sharply outlined against white ground upon under- 



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