FRINGILLIDjE : FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARBOWS, ETC. 363 
227. 
229. 
228. 
230. 
P. s. savanna. (Spanish sahana or savana, a meadow. Fig. 227-) Common Savanxa Spar- 
row. ^ 9 , adult, in spring : Thickly streaked everywhere above, on sides, and across breast ; 
a superciliary line, and edge of the wing, yellowish; lesser wing-coverts not chestnut ; legs flesh- 
color ; bill rather slender and acute ; tail nearly even, its outer feathers not white ; longest 
secondary nearly as long as the primaries in the closed wing. Above, brownish-gray, streaked 
with T)lackish, whitish-gray and pale bay, the streaks largest on interscapulars, smallest on 
cervix, tlie crown divided by an obscure whitish line ; sometimes an obscure yellowish suffusion 
about head besides the streak over the eye. Below, white, pure or with faint bufty shade, 
thickly streaked, as just stated, with dusky — the individual spots edged with brown, mostly 
arrow-shaped, running in chains along the sides, and often aggregated in an obscure blotch on 
the breast. Wings dusky, the coverts and 
inner secondaries black-edged and tipped 
with bright bay ; tail-feathers rather nar- 
row and pointed, dusky, not noticeably 
marked. Extreme dimensions of both 
sexes: Length 5.20-G.OO; extent 8.50- 
10.00! wing 2.40-3.00; tail 1.75-2.25 ; 
tarsus 0.75-0.88 ; but such figures are rare. 
Average of both sexes 5.25; extent 8.75; 
wing 2.60 ; tail 2.00 ; tarsus 0.84. ^ usu- 
ally 5.30-5.60 ; extent 9.00-9.50; wing 
2.67-2.75 ; 9 usually 5.00-5.30; extent 
8.75-9.00; wing 2.50-2.67. Ordinarily, 
bill about 0.40 ; tarsus, middle toe and claw 
together 1.50. Fall and winter specimens 
much more brightly colored than spring 
and summer ones ; the young particularly 
having much ochrey or buffy suffusion, in- 
FiG. 227. — Common Savanna Sparrow, reduced. (Shep- 
pard del. Nichols sc. ) 
Stead of clean colors, more brown and bay, instead of dusky and gray. It is not easy for an un- 
practised person to discriminate the small sparrows, and so variable a one as this offers special 
difficulty ; attention to the points of form as well as of color is requisite. North Amer. at large, 
chiefly Eastern, very abundant everywhere in fields, on plains, by the wayside, and along the 
sea-shore ; a thoroughly terrestrial bird, migratory, and in the fall somewhat gregarious. Has 
an agreeable though weak song in the spring. Winters at least from Middle States southward, 
and breeds at least from New England to highest latitudes. Nest sunken in ground flush 
with surface, of a few grasses and weed-stalks; eggs 4-6, 0.70 X 0.50, varying interminably 
in their motley coloring ; usually heavily clouded and blotched with dark brown ; most like 
those of Pocecetes, but smaller. 
P. s. alaudi'nus. (Lat. alaudinus, lark-like ; no applicability.) Lark Savanna Sparrow. 
So similar to the last as only to be distinguished by rather duller and paler coloration on an 
average, and weaker bill, about 0.35 long by 0.20 deep at the base. If the savanna spar- 
row" be split into several races, this may possibly be allowed with the rest. Western U. S. 
P. s. anthi'nus. (Lat. anthinus, pipit-like ; no applicability.) Pipit Savanna Sparrow. 
A form from the Pacific marshes, especially the coast of Gala., better marked than the last. 
Bill as long as in savana, but slenderer; under parts more sharply, closely, darkly and 
extensively streaked. Yellow eyebrow and bend of wing quite as well marked as in savana^ 
and therefore contrasting with the paler and grayer alaudinus with which it is associated. 
P. rostra'tus. (Lat. rostratiis, beaked; rostrum, beak.) Beaked Savanna Sparrow. 
San Diego Savanna Sparrow. Sea-shore Sparrow. With the form of a Savanna, but 
the bill elongated as in Ammodramus, yet very stout and turgid, with decidedly convex 
