FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC.: LARK SPARROW 727 
furnish a means for collecting invaluable data which could not be secured 
by any other method.” Of all his birds, Mr. Jensen says, “I am most 
proud of No. 39427, Western Vesper Sparrow,” and well he may be, for 
it has given a striking example of the fact that migrating birds which 
spend the winter south of their breeding grounds often return to old 
familiar localities to nest. Banded on May 8, 1923, No. 39427 was first 
taken two months later, and after that on three successive years— 
June 20, 1924, April 15 (also August 4), 1925, and April 17, 1926. 
WESTERN LARK SPARROW: Chondestes gr&mmacus strig&tus Swainson 
Plate 78 
Description. — Male: Length (skins) 5.6-6.6 inches, wing 3.2-3.6, tail 2.5-3, 
bill .4-.5. Female: Length (skins) 5.5-6.7 inches, wing 3.1-3.5, tail 2.4-2.8, bill 
.4-.5. Tail long, graduated. Adults: Top and sides of head striped and patched with 
chestnut, black , and whitish or huffy; upperparts brownish gray, the back narrowly 
streaked with blackish; tail with middle feathers grayish brown, the rest black, tipped 
with white, on spread tail giving effect of white corners; outside feather bordered with 
white; wings with white band and white patch at base of primaries; underparts white 
with a small black, chest spot; bill dark brown above, tipped with black, more or 
less bluish or lilac below. Young: Chestnut head markings wanting, crown striped 
like back, breast distinctly streaked with black. 
Range. —Breeds mainly in Sonoran Zones from southern British Columbia and 
southern Saskatchewan south (as far east as central North Dakota and eastern Texas) 
to Mexican tableland (Coahuila, Durango, and Chihuahua); winters from northern 
California, Arizona, and southern Texas south through Lower California and south¬ 
ern Mexico to Guatemala. 
State Records. —The Western Lark Sparrow is generally distributed except in 
the mountains but is most common in the eastern part of the State. It is a common 
breeder over much of the lower parts of New Mexico, breeding in the lowest hottest 
valleys at Carlsbad (Bailey); Mesilla (Merrill); and up through the junipers on the 
slope of Mesa Yegua (Bailey); [fairly common on the pinyon flats of northern Santa 
Fe County (Jensen, 1922)1; to similar conditions in the upper part of the Bluewater 
Valley in the Zuni Mountains (Goldman); to Taos, 7,000 feet (Bailey); and to 
Houghton Canyon, 7,500 feet in the Datil Forest Reserve (Ligon). A specimen was 
taken May 2, 1914, at Silver City (Kellogg); and a few were seen in early May at 
Willis, 7,800 feet (Birtwell). Nests with eggs were seen at Santa Rosa, June 5, 1903 
(Bailey). [A nest was found between May 23 and June 19, 1918, at Lake Burford, 
where the birds were fairly common (Wetmore). It was seen with young in the 
Cuchillo Hills, August 4, 1919 (Ligon).] 
After the breeding season, it was common along Red River, Colfax County, from 
Mr. Kalmbach's arrival, July 28, until August 20, 1913. In the fall the species 
ascends somewhat higher and was noted at about 8,000 feet at Tres Piedras July 31, 
1904 (Gaut), August 19, 1904, at about 9,700 feet in the Culebra Mountains, and 
August 25 at about 8,800 feet (Bailey). Retiring into Mexico to spend the winter, 
only a few remain in New Mexico after the last of September. They were noted at 
Chloride September 27, 1915 (Ligon); two birds were seen at Gallup the last week in 
September, and several September 30 in the foot-hills of the Chuska Mountains; 
a single bird was noted at Espanola October 17, 1904 (Gaut), and the last one at 
Mesilla, October 27, 1913 (Merrill). 
