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Show 240 56. Passerculus savanna, ( Wils.), var. alaudinus, Bp.- Western Savanna Sparrow. We have no positive proof of the occurrence of this variety in California in summer, and all the evidence I could obtain seems to point to the opposite conclusion. During the fall migrations it makes its appearance from the North, and then occurs over the State at large. I found it early in September on the streams high up in the mountains, near Mount Whitney, while in November it was exceedingly numerous about Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, frequenting the plowed lands, gardens, and grassy fields everywhere, almost to the shore. Whether it ever is found in the salt- meadows along the shore I do not know, but believe it never does occur in such places, even during the migrations. No. 443 510 587 588 594 713 Sex. Locality. Walker's Basin, Cal North Fork Kern River, Cal Near Kernville, Cal , do do Walker's Basin, Cal Date. Sept 6 Sept. 29 Oct. 20 Oct. 20 Oct 23 Nov. 11 Collector. H. W. Henshaw. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. 57. Passerculus savanna, ( Wils.), var. antkinus.- Fitlark Sparrow. Passercuiu* anthinut, Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus, rzvil, Deo., 1853,919 ( Russian America).- Bd., B. N. A., 1858,445.- Coop, B. Cal., i, 1870,183. Pauerculut savanna vax. onthinut, Couea, Key N. A B., 1872,136.- B., B., & R., N. A. B n i, 1874,539. Tbid sparrow, so far'as known, is confined to California,* where it inhabits exclusively the coast, being found in the salt- meadows and beds of rushes. Its habits seem to resemble very closely those of the eastern Savanna Sparrow ( P. savannas) as seen under similar circumstances. They lie close hidden in the grass, rise with extreme reluctance, and fly with apparent difficulty to a short distance, alighting usually on the tops of the mattocks of grass, or upon the mazing reeds, there to reconnoiter for a moment ere taking refuge among the roots. No. 101 103 104 105 106 112 119 190 181 188 156 157 837 Sex. 8 J ? L Q ad. $ ad. d Jan. 9 3nn. dr ad. ? ad. d ad. $ ad. d ad. 2 ad. $ ad. d ad. Locality. Santa Barbara, Cal do .' .. do do do ddoo do do do do do do Date. Jane 87 June 27 June 27 June 27 June 87 June 87 June 28 June 28 June 88 June 28 July 1 July 1 July 8 Collector. H. W. Henshaw. do . . . . do . . . . . . . . . .. .... do . . . . . . . . . .. do . . . . do . . . . . . . . . .. .... do . . . do! .... do .... do . . . . d o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . do " Wing. 2.57 2.40 2.45 2.65 48.54 2.64 2.40 2.56 2.50 2.78 8.43 4 46 2.49 Tail. J Bill. 2.00 L90 1.80 2.15 2.00 2.03 2.00 2.00 2.06 L90 2.00 2.06 0.43 0.46 0.46 0.43 0.47 0.47 0.40 0.47 0.50 0.47 0.42 a 46 0.46 Tarsus, 0.80 0.74 an 0.79 0.79 0.83 0.88 - ass 0.81 0.89 0.77 0.77 a 78 58. Pooeoetes gramineus, ( Gm.), var. con finis, Bd.- Grass Finch. I did not meet with the Grass Finch in summer in Southern California, and believe with Dr. Cooper that if it breeds within the State, it is only in the more northern parts. Like the Lark Sparrow, it is more a bird of the dry interior regions, being found, however, over California during the migrations. No. Sex. Locality. Date. Collector. 466 630 Near Mount Whitney, Cal. Near Kernville, Cal Sept 18 Oct. 25 H. W. Henshaw. Da 59. Coturnioulus passerinus, ( Wils.), var. perpaUidus.- Western Yellow- winged Sparrow. This Sparrow is chiefly a bird of the interior region, where it is rather southerly in its habitat. It has not hitherto been known certainly to occur on the Pacific coast * The locality of Bonaparte's type- specimen was probably transferred with that of P. alandinus. ( See B., B., & R., N. A. B.) |