ly; white, blotched, lined and obscurely marked with brown and
purplish; size .75 x .55.

539. MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR. _Rhynchophanes mccowni._

Range.--Great Plains, breeding from Kansas to the Saskatchewan.

This Longspur which breeds in company with the preceding, throughout its
range, can be distinguished from it by the small black patch on the
breast, the black crown, and chestnut wing coverts. Their nesting habits
are the same, and at this season all the Longspurs have a sweet song
often uttered during flight, like that of the Bobolink. Their eggs are
of the same size and similarly marked as the last, but the ground color
is more gray or olive.

[Illustration: Smith's Longspur.]
[Illustration 336: Grayish.]
[Illustration: Chestnut-collared Longspur.]
[Illustration: Dull white.]
[Illustration: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 335

540. VESPER SPARROW. _Pooecetes gramineus gramineus._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding from Virginia and Missouri north
to Manitoba and New Brunswick; winters in the southern half of the
United States.

A streaked grayish, buffy and white bird distinguished by its chestnut
shoulders and white outer tail feathers. They are abundant birds in
eastern fields where their loud piping whistle is known to many
frequenters of weedy pastures. They build on the ground, either in
grassy or cultivated fields, lining the hollow scantily with grasses.
Their four or five eggs are usually laid in May or June; they are dull
whitish, blotched and splashed with light brown and lavender tints; size
.80 x .60.

540a. WESTERN VESPER SPARROW. _Pooecetes gramineus confinis._

Range.--This paler variety is found in North America west of the Plains
and south of Saskatchewan.

Its nesting habits are like those of the preceding and the eggs are
indistinguishable.

540b. OREGON VESPER SPARROW. _Pooecetes gramineus affinis._

A browner variety found on the coast of Oregon and northern California.

Its nesting habits are like those of the eastern bird and the eggs
similar but averaging a trifle smaller.

* * * ENGLISH SPARROW. _Passer domesticus._

These birds, which were imported from Europe, have increased so rapidly
that they have overrun the cities and villages of the country and are
doing inestimable damage both by driving out native insect eating birds
and by their own destructiveness. They nest in all sorts of places but
preferably behind blinds, where thei