48 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ROUTE TO CALIFORNIA. 
ZONOTKICHIA GAMBELII, Nutt.—Gambel’s Finch. 
Fringilla gambelii, Nuttatx, Man. I, 2d ed. 556. 
Zonotrichia gambelii, Baird, Gen. Rep. IX, 460. 
Abundant, being found in the most arid parts of the country during the fall, at which time 
they are migrating southward. I have procured this bird in very young plumage in the month 
of July near San Francisco, showing thereby that it sometimes breeds in California. It was our 
almost constant companion during the survey under Lieutenant Parke, through Mexico, New 
Mexico, and in Texas. 
ZONOTRICHIA COEONATA, Pallas.—Black and Yellow-crowned Finch. 
Fringilla atricapilla, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 162, pi. 193. 
Emberiza atricapilla, Aud. B. of A. Fol. pi. 394, fig. 3.— Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. I, part II, p. 875. 
Zonotrichia coronata, Baird, Gen. Rep. IX, 461. 
This species appears abundant in the fall season, being generally associated with the white- 
crowned finch and the California song sparrow. Resorting to the deep shady thickets and 
woods, where it passes the greater part of the time, and in the mountainous districts, it prefers 
the hill sides covered with dense undergrowth. It occasionally breeds in California. I found 
its nest in a bush near Sacramento City. It was composed of coarse stalks of weeds, and lined 
internally with fine roots. The eggs, four in number, are ashy white, marked with lines of 
brown umber, sometimes appearing black from the depth of their shades, and covered also with 
a few neutral tint spots. 
CHONDESTES GRAMMACA, Say .—Prairie Lark Finch. 
Emberiza grammaca, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 63, pi. 158. 
Fringilla grammaca, Bonap. Am. Orn vol. I, p. 47, pi. V, fig. 3.— Long’s Exp. to Rocky Mts. vol. I, p. 139. 
This species is numerous in California, in New Mexico, and in Texas. Arriving in this latter 
country in May, I found this bird mated and about to commence the duties of incubation. 
SPIZELLA SOCIALIS, Wilson.—Chipping Sparrow. 
Fringilla socialis, Wils. Am. Orn. vol. II, p. 127, pi. 16, fig. 3.— Nutt. Orn. vol. I, p. 497 .—Aud. B. of A. Fol. pi. 104. 
Emberiza socialis, Aud. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 80, pi. 165. 
Abundant. 
SPIZELLA PALLIDA, Swains.—Clay-colored Sparrow. 
Emberiza pallida, Rich. & Sw. Fau. Bor. Am. vol. II, p. 251.— Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. Ill, p. 71, pi. 161.—Fol. pi. 
398, fig. 2. 
These birds we met with throughout our entire route in California and Texas. On the passage 
from the Pimos villages to Tucson, we noticed large flocks gleaning their food among the bushes, 
as they travelled south. In Tejon valley, during the fall season, we constantly saw them 
associated with large flocks of sparrows, congrega ed about the Indian cultivated fields, where 
they find a bountiful supply of seed and grain, passing, like the rest of the Fringillidae , the 
greater portion of their time on the ground for this purpose. 
