FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 357 
and tail perked up ; guarding his family with watchful care, and 
between times, as at all times, singing his glad little lay. 
581a. M. m. fallax (Baird). Desert Song Sparrow. 
General color light rufous; upper parts light gray, streaked on hack with 
rusty, usually without blackish shaft streaks; 
streaks on chest clear rusty or rufous. Young: 
dull brown or huffy above, back streaked with 
brown; buffy white below, chest streaked. 
Male: length (skins) 5.36-6.12, wing 2.56- 
2.71, tail 2.59-2.81, bill .44-.50. Female: length (skins) 5.10-5.82, wing 
2.47-2.62, tail 2.39-2.78, bill .45-.4S. 
Remarks. — The light color and rusty streaking distinguish this from 
all other song sparrows. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Lower Sonoran zone from southern Nevada 
and southeastern California to Lower California and Sonora, Mexico. 
Nest. — In tufts of grass, low bushes, or on the ground. Eggs : 4, light 
greenish or dull bluish white, more or less spotted with brown. 
581b. M. m. montana ( Hensh .). Mountain Song Sparrow. 
Upper parts grayish streaked with black and brown; wings and tail 
brown; under parts white, chest and sides 
streaked with brown, streaks more or less 
confluent on breast. Male: length (skins) 
5.58-6.49, wing 2.58-2.91, tail 2.50-3.02, bill 
.44-.55. Female: length (skins) 5.35-6.34, Fig. 445. 
wing 2.46-2.75, tail 2.46-2.86, bill .41-.50. 
Remarks. — Montana is like melodia, but wings, tail, and tarsus average 
longer, bill smaller and relatively more slender; coloration grayer ; the 
young paler, whitish instead of buffy below, less tawny above than in 
young of melodia. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Transition zone in the Rocky Mountain and 
Sierra Nevada region of the United States; migrates to western Texas 
and northern Mexico. 
581c. M. m. heermanni (Baird). Heermann Song Sparrow. 1 
Ground color brown or olive, streaked both above and below with blackish ; 
spots on chest distinct instead of massed in a pectoral blotch. Male : length 
(skins) 5.10—6.31, wing 2.42—2.80, tail 2.35—2.<9, bill .45—.o3. Female: 
length (skins) 5.46—5.64, wing 2.40—2.51, tail 2.25—2.58, bill .48—.50. 
Remarks. — The seasonal changes in plumage are marked, the summer 
birds being much more sharply and narrowly streaked than winter ones. 
Heermanni is like melodia , but smaller and browner, streaks on back 
averaging broader, those on chest darker ; young like that of melodia, but 
deeper tawny above, streaks broader; under parts tinged with brownish 
buff, chest streaks broader. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Lower Sonoran zone in central valleys of Cali¬ 
fornia ; migrates southward ; casually to Nevada. 
1 Melospiza fasciata cooperi Ridgw. San Diego Song Sparrow. 
Like heermanni , but slightly smaller and much lighter and grayer. 
Distribution . — Southern coast district of California (north to Monterey Bay, east to 
Fort Tejon, San Bernardino, etc.), and Pacific coast of northern Lower California. {The 
Auk , xvi. 35.) 
Melospiza melodia santsecrucis Grinnell. Santa Cruz Song Sparrow. 
Like cooperi , but smaller, with weaker bill, and brown markings deeper and more 
extensi v e. 
DistHbution . — Along fresh water streams heading in the Santa Cruz mountain region, 
from San Francisco south to Monterey Bay. {The Condor , i. 92.) 
