FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 
361 
bars; under parts white, sides of throat and chest spotted and blotched 
with reddish brown ; flanks streaked with rufous. Young: 
similar, hut colors duller and markings less sharply de¬ 
fined. Male: length (skins) 5.94-6.80, wing 3.40-3.61, tail 
2.64-2.91, bill .42-.51. Female: length (skins) 6.18-6.70, 
wing 3.30-3.46, tail 2.63-2.88, hill .42-.48. 
Distribution. —Northern North America, breeding from 
Magdalen Islands to Bering Sea ; south in winter to Florida, 
middle Texas, and eastern base of Rocky Mountains. 
Nest. — On ground or in hushes, made largely of moss 
and leaves. Eggs: 3 to 5, bluish green spotted with red¬ 
dish brown. 
Food. — Insects, a large proportion of ragweed and polygonum seed, and 
wild fruit. 
Fig. 449. Fox 
Sparrow. 
585a. P. i. unalaschcensis ( Gmel .). Townsend Sparrow. 1 
Upper parts reddish brown, more or less mixed with slaty gray , becoming 
dark brown or foxy on rump, wings, and 
tail; under parts white, thickly marked 
with triangular spots of dark brown converg¬ 
ing on breast. Male: length (skins) 6.50- 
6.70, wing 3.28-3.39, tail 2.88-2.98, hill .49- 
.50. Female: length (skins) 6.20-6.6S, wing 
.50-.52. 
Fig. 450. 
3.14-3.19, tail 2.71-2.80, hill 
Remarks. — The dark reddish brown upper parts, converging spots on 
the breast, and the long wings distinguish this subspecies. 
Distribution. — Breeds on Alaskan peninsula and islands, and migrates 
to southern California; casually to Lower California. 
Nest. — Near the ground in dense thickets, made largely of moss and 
leaves. Eggs: 3 or 4, pale bluish green, or greenish gray, speckled and 
blotched with brown and lilac. 
The members of the genus Passerella are large, strongly marked 
sparrows, with loud, rather rich voices. As the size and strength of 
their feet show, they are diggers. A bird that I watched in Golden 
1 Mr. Ridgway has restricted unalaschcensis to Alaska and separated from it the form 
which comes to northern California as toivnsendi , adding several new subspecies which 
winter in California. 
Passerella iliaca insularis Ridgway. 
Like unalaschcensis, but back warm sepia brown, spots on chest large and deep brown, 
under tail coverts strongly tinged with buff. 
Distribution. — Kadiak Island (and Middleton Island ?), Alaska, in summer; south to 
California in winter. ( The Auk , xvii. 31.) 
Passerella iliaca annectens Ridgway. Yakutat Fox Sparrow. 
Similar to insularis, but smaller, especially the bill, and coloration slightly browner. 
Distribution. — Coast of Alaska, from Cross Sound to Prince William Sound (to Cook 
Inlet?), south in winter to California. {The Auk, xvii. 30.) 
Passerella iliaca meniloides (Vigors). 
Like insularis, but bill smaller and coloration throughout darker. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Yakutat Bay district (?) and winters in Santa Cruz district. 
[The Condor, iv. 45.) Perhaps a synonym of annectens. 
Passerella iliaca townsendi (Aud.). Townsend Sparrow. 
Like annectens , but darker, spots on chest larger. 
Distribution. — Coast of southern Alaska ; in winter to northern California. 
Passerella iliaca fuliginoaa Ridgway. Sooty Fox Sparrow. 
Like townsendi , but darker and less rufescent, spots on under parts larger and more 
confluent than in other forms. 
Distribution. — Breeds in coast district of southwestern British Columbia and north¬ 
western Washington ; south in winter to coast of northern California. {The Auk, xvi. 36.) 
