46 
U. S. P. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVEYS—EOUTE TO CALIFOENIA. 
insects, which form their principal nourishment. At this period they are easily approached, 
and large numbers may he killed at a single shot. During summer, they are seen frequenting 
the roads and flying a few paces before the traveller as he advances. The nest, sunk in a slight 
hollow in the ground, is composed of grasses lined with fine hair. The eggs, four to five in 
number, are light green ash, covered thickly with minute light umber brown spots, sometimes 
forming a crown at the larger end of the egg. 
EMBERNAGRA CHLORURA, Towns.—Blanding’s Finch. 
Embernagra blandingiana, Gambel.—Cassin’s B. of Tex. & Cal., p. 70, pi. 12. 
Fringilla blandingiana, Gambel, Proceed. Ac. N. Sc. Phil, vol. I, p 260. 
Fringilla chlorura, Aud. Orn. Biog. vol. Y, p. 336. 
Zonotrichia chlorura, Heermann, Jour. Ac. N. S. Phil. 2d series, vol. I, p. 51, pi. 9, fig. 1. 
Pipilo chlorura, Baird, Gen. Eep. IX, 519. 
I met with a single specimen of this bird in the Tejon valley, where I discovered it among a 
flock of sparrows consisting of several varieties. On a former occasion I procured a single bird 
of this species in Sacramento valley, and consider it as accidental in California, or at least in the 
northern part of it. 
POOSPIZA BELLII, Cassin.—Bell’s Bunting. 
Emberiza bellii, Cassin, Proceed. Ac. N. S. Phil. vol. V, p. 105, pi. 4. 
Poospiza bellii, Baird, Gen. Eep. IX, 470. 
In the fall of 1851 I first noticed this species in the mountains bordering the Cosumnes river, 
and on the late expedition we found it in great numbers on the broad tract of arid land lying 
between Kern river and the Tejon Pass, and again on the desert between this latter and the 
Mohave river, often wandering at a great distance from water. The Picolaptes brunneicapillus, 
two kinds of woodpecker, an occasional raven, and this species, appear to he the only birds 
inhabiting these large and desolate plains, where the artemisia (Larrea mexicana) alone 
flourishes amid the surrounding weak and scanty vegetation. When undisturbed, it chants 
merrily its ditty from some hush top, hut upon the appearance of danger drops at once to the 
ground and disappears in the shrubbery or grass. The nest, built in a hush, is composed of 
twigs and grasses, lined with hair. The eggs, four in number, are ]ight greenish blue, marked 
with reddish purple spots differing in intensity of shade. 
PASSERCULTJS ROSTRATUS, Cassin.—Large-hilled Sparrow. 
Emberiza roslrata, Cassin, Proceed. Ac. Nat. S. Fhil. vol. VI, p. 184. 
In 1851 I procured this bird on the shores of the Bay of San Diego, and also, during the late 
survey, in considerable numbers at Santa Barbara and San Pedro. It frequents the low sandy 
beach and the heavy sedge grass which fringes the shores, where it feeds upon the marine insects 
and seeds thrown up by the tides and in which it finds quick and easy concealment when closely 
pursued. 
SPIZA AMOENA, Say .—Lazuli Painted Finch. 
Spiza amoena, Aud. B. of A. Oct. Yol. Ill, p. 100, pi. 171. 
Fringilla amoena, Add. B. A. Eol. pi. 398.-— Bonap. Am. Orn. vol. I, p. 61, pi. 6, fig. 5 — Nutt, Orn. vol. I, p. 473. 
Emberiza amoena, Say, Long’s Exped. to Eocky mts. vol. II, p. 47. 
This beautiful little species teems over the whole surface of California during the summer 
months ; having been observed in the mountains near Shasta City, in the Sacramento valley. 
