352 
FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 
3.05-3.20, tail 2.78-3.09, bill .37-.41. Female: 
length (skins) 5.40-6.20, wing 2.85-3.15, tail 
2.65-2.98, bill .37-41. 
Remarks. — The absence of a continuous 
stripe on the side of the throat is enough to 
distinguish the sage sparrow from the Bell. 
Distribution. — Breeds on sagebrush plains 
of Upper Sonoran zone from Oregon and Idaho 
south to California and New Mexico ; winters 
in western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and 
southern California. 
Nest. — In sage and other low bushes, made 
largely of fine shreds of sagebrush bark and 
dried grass stems. Eggs: 3 or 4, greenish 
white or dull grayish white, speckled, chiefly 
around larger end, with reddish brown, mixed with a few darker markings. 
As Amphispiza bilineata is the bird of the creosote and mesquite 
deserts of the Lower Sonoran zone, so nevadensis is one of the most 
characteristic birds of the sagebrush deserts of the Upper Sonoran. 
He is indeed well named, for you find him everywhere throughout 
the sagebrush valleys of the Great Basin. His soft gray tones and 
faint streakings blend in well with the gray green brush. As he sits 
on top of the tallest bushes his long black tail and its gently tilting 
motion are good long range recognition marks. 
Most of the year the birds are silent, but during the breeding sea¬ 
son the sagebrush fairly rings with their simple but exquisitely 
sweet song. Vernon Bailey. 
Fig. 439. Sage Sparrow. 
GENUS PEUC.2EA. 
General Characters. — Similar to Aimophila, but edge of wing yellow. 
KEY TO SPECIES. 
1. Upper parts ashy, back spotted and barred with sandy brown. 
cassini, p. 352. 
1'. Upper parts gray, streaked with dull rufous and spotted with black. 
botterii, p. 352. 
576. Peucsea botterii (Sclat .). Botteri Sparrow. 
Adults. — Upper parts grayish, streaked with dull rufous and spotted 
with black ; edge of wing yellow ; under parts plain dull buffy. Young : 
upper parts buffy, streaked with dusky ; under parts buffy; throat, chest, 
and sides streaked. Male: length (skins) 5.10-6.35, wing 2.35-2.75, tail 
2.65-2.78, bill .45-.50. Female: length (skins) 5.20-5.70, wing 2.30-2.68, 
tail 2.22-2.53, bill .43-.50. 
Distribution. — From southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley 
in Texas south over the plateau of Mexico to Chiapas. 
Nest. — On or near the ground. Eggs: (1 set) 4, pure white. 
678. Peucsea cassini {Woodh.). Cassin Sparrow. 
Adults. — Upper parts ashen, streaked with sandy brown ; feathers of back 
