392 
PASSERIFORMES 
Nesting. On or near the ground, in nest of dead leaves and strips of bark, lined with, 
fine grasses. 
Distribution. Eastern North America. In Canada, the more southern parts west to- 
include southern Manitoba. 
SUBSPECIES. The only subspecies represented in Canada is the Red-eyed Tow bee- 
tle Towhee aux yeux rouges) or Chewink Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophtha Imus . 
The Towhee is a bird of brushy wastes or wood-edges, where its dis- 
tinctive note “ Chewee ” or “To-wee” is a familiar sound. It delights to 
perch on the top of a sapling standing alone in the underbrush and sing its 
clear “Dick-yoo, chiddle-chiddle-chiddle” On being disturbed it drops 
straight down into the underbrush, its black and white uniform flashing 
an instant, then vanishes in the tangle, whence it peers about uttering its 
usual “ Che-wee ” in inquisitive accents. In feeding it scratches over the 
surface like a hen, making the dead leaves fly in all directions. 
588. Spotted Towhee. le towhee tachete. Pipilo maculatus. L, 8*35. Plate 
LXXX B. Male: jet black above, including head, neck, and tipper breast, cutting sharply 
across chest against pure white underparts. A broad bar of reddish brown or bay along 
flanks. Wing-coverts and outer scapulars conspicuously spotted with white. Female 
similar, but the black greyish. 
Distinctions. Only to be confused with the preceding Eastern Towhee, but easily 
distinguished by the liberal white spotting of the wing-coverts and scapulars. The back, 
head, and upper breast of the female are greyish black instead of light wood-brown, as in 
that species. 
Field Marks. The large amount of contrasting black and white, and the reddish 
flanks are enough to identify this species at a glance. The amount of spotting on the 
wings and the grey-black, instead of wood-brown, of the female will separate if from the 
Eastern Towhee in the few localities where their ranges may occasionally overlap. 
Nesting. On or near the ground in brush; nest of dead leaves and strips of bark, 
lined with fine grasses. 
Distribution. Western North America. In Canada, from southeastern Manitoba 
and south Saskatchewan westward through southern British Columbia to the coast. 
Migrant elsewhere, it is resident on the coast. 
SUBSPECIES. The towhee of the prairie regions is the Northern Spotted Towhee 
(le Towhee tachetd du Nord) Pipilo maculatus arcticus. That of the interior of British 
Columbia, the Nevada Towhee (le Towhee du Nevada) Pipilo maculatus curtatus (shown 
in Plate LXXX B) is very slightly different from it. On the coast, however, the Oregon 
Towhee (le Towhee de l’Orogon) Pipilo 7naculatus oregonus shows quite distinct char- 
acters, the white spotting of the wings and back is very much less, and the red of the 
flanks is deeper and richer in colour. 
Like the Eastern Towhee, the Spotted is a bird of the brush and 
almost identical with it in general habits. To those familiar with the 
former, the latter presents nothing strikingly new. The notes are similar 
enough to be recognized as a towhee’s, but with a sufficiently different 
tone and accent to attract attention. On the whole, the Spotted Towhee’s 
voice is hoarser, and its song less clearly musical than that of its eastern 
relative. 
Economic Status. Probably not different from that of the Eastern 
Towhee. 
605. Lark Bunting, le bruant noir et blanc. Calamospiza melanocorys. L, 
7-2. Plate LXXX I A. About the size of an English Sparrow. The spring male is a very 
conspicuous bird, solid black with a large white patch on the wings. The female and 
male m autumn, and the juvenile are dull-coloured birds, striped above in light, dull, 
earthy browns; below, white, sharply striped on breast and flanks. 
Distinctions, "the spring male, black and with conspicuous white wing patches, is 
unmistakable. Other plumages resemble that of the female English Sparrow, except for 
