FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC.: WHITE-WINGED JUNCO 735 
(Henry), Mesilla (Merrill), Deming (Bailey), Mexican Boundary Line (Mearns), the 
base of the San Andres Mountains, and Tularosa (Gaut). 
In winter, it was seen near Tularosa, December 4, 1902, and was common in the 
San Andres foothills, January 12-23, 1903 (Gaut). It also winters at San Marcial 
(Goss, 1881, pp. 116-117); it was noted at Mesilla, January 7, 1905 (Metcalfe); and 
winters at Silver City (Hunn). On the Carlsbad Bird Reserve, it was common in 
January, 1915, noted during the winter of 1915-16, [was common in December, 1916; 
and on the Rio Grande Bird Reserve (Elephant Butte), was noted, November 23- 
December 9, 1916 (Willett).] 
In the spring migration the last one seen in 1892, near the Mexican Boundary, 
was on April 5 (Mearns), and one was taken as late as April 25, 1903, in the Organ 
Mountains (Ford).—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —On the ground or in sage or other low bushes; made largely of fine shreds 
of sage bark, sage twigs, and dried grass stems; lined variously with dried grass, weed 
seeds and stalks, cowhair, and rabbit fur. Eggs: 3 or 4, greenish white or dull grayish 
white, speckled, chiefly around the larger end, with reddish brown mixed with a few 
darker markings. 
General Habits. —In northern Nevada, Doctor Taylor was im¬ 
mediately impressed with the similarity of habits between the Sage 
Sparrow and the Brewer Sparrow. “Both were paired and nesting at 
the same time,” he says, “both could often be heard singing simultane¬ 
ously, both were strict dwellers in the sagebrush association . . . and 
both had similar modes of flight”; but the Sage Sparrows were also found 
among the sparse vegetation of the open desert, where their cheery song 
was often the only sound heard (1912, p. 398). In the fall Mr. Ilenshaw 
observed small migrating companies of from three to ten Sage Sparrows 
frequenting the sagebrush on the desolate plains. They were very shy 
and most often seen running with great agility among the bushes, their 
motions being so quick that they might readily be mistaken for mice. 
In running their long tail was carried in a perpendicular position suggest¬ 
ing the wrens (1875, p. 276). 
Additional Literature.—Rust, H. L., Condor, XIX, 38, 39, 1917 (nest with 
Cowbird eggs). 
WHITE-WINGED JUNCO: Junco aikeni Ridgway 
Description. — Male: Length (skins) 6.2-6.7 inches, wing 3.2-3.7, tail 3-3.1, 
bill .5. Female: Length (skins) 5.9-6.6 inches, wing 3.2-3.3, tail 2.8-3, bill .4-.5. 
Adult male: Entire head and body almost uniform light slaty gray except for abruptly 
white belly , wing bars arid three white outer tail feathers; bill pinkish white or flesh-color. 
Adult female: Similar but paler, upperparts tinged with brownish, and wing bars less 
distinct, frecjuently obsolete. Young: Entire body profusely streaked on whitish 
ground below. 
Comparisons. —The White-winged Junco is the only Junco with white wing bars, 
and it and the Slate-colored (see p. 736),are the only twoinNew Mexicoinwhich back 
and chest are the same color. In them, the line of color demarcation is horizontal. 
Range. —Central Rocky Mountain region. Breeds in Canadian and Transition 
Zones in southeastern Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, and north- 
