May,1893.] birds of the death valley expedition. 01 



Spizella breweri. Brewer's Sparrow. 



Brewer's sparrow was a common species throughout tlie desert re- 

 gions during migration, and bred in most of the mountain ranges 

 among the sagebrush. A number were seen in Vegas Wash, March 

 10-13, and the species arrived at Ash Meadows, Nevada, March 17. 

 Mr. Nelson reported it as a common breeding species among the sage, 

 both in the Panamint and Grapevine mountains, during the latter part 

 of May and first of June. Many of its nests were found, usually con- 

 taining four eggs, and built in a sage bush a couple of feet from the 

 ground. On the north side of Telescope Peak Dr. Merriam found it 

 common among the sage, April 17-19, and Mr. Bailey and the writer 

 observed it near the same place, June 22-25. It was not uncommon 

 at Hot Springs, in Panamint Valley, April 20-23; several were seen at 

 Leach Point Spring, April 25 ; and one was shot in the northwest arm 

 of Death Valley, April 13. 



In Nevada Dr. Merriam found it tolerably common in parts of Pah- 

 rump Valley, April 29, and at Mountain Spring, in the Charleston 

 Mountains, April 30. He reported it as common in the sage brush on the 

 plateau of the Juniper Mountains; in Pahranagat Valley, May 22-26; 

 on Gold Mountain, June 3; in Tule Canon, June 4; and thence up to 

 the summit of Mount Magruder, where it was the commonest bird on 

 the sage plateau, June 4-11, breeding abundantly, and extending 

 thence northerly into Fish Lake Valley. 



In Utah Dr. Merriam did not see it in the low St. George Valley, 

 but found it common in the upper part of the Santa Clara Valley, May 

 16, beginning with the sagebrush about 8 miles north of St. George 

 and continuing northward to Mountain Meadows and the Escalante 

 Desert, where several nests were found, May 17. In the Beaverdam 

 Mountains it was tolerably common throughout the sage and junipers, 

 May 10. 



Eeturning to California, in the Argus Bange, the species w^as com- 

 mon in Shepherd Canon, and was breeding commonly at Maturango 

 Spring, from the summit of the range to the bottom of Coso Valley, 

 early in May. In the Coso Mountains it was common, and a number 

 of nests containing eggs were found during the latter part of May. Mr. 

 Nelson found the species rather common in the Inyo Mountains, from 

 the sage up to the summit in the White Mountains, and at the head 

 of Owens Biver in the Sierra Nevada. In Owens Valley it was com- 

 mon throughout the summer, especially along the eastern slope of the 

 Sierra Nevada, where Mr. Stephens noted it in a number of places, 

 even as high as Menache Meadows. It was common on the western 

 slope of Walker Pass, June 21 and July 2-3, and in Kern Biver Val- 

 ley, June 22-23 and July 11-13. Mr. Palmer reported it as tolerably 

 common in the sagebrush among the piiions at Old Fort Tejon, July 9. 



