many specimens of
savanna; they are light greenish white heavily blotched with various
shades of brown and lavender. Size .75 x .55.

543. Belding's Sparrow. _Passerculus beldingi._

Range.--Pacific coast marshes of southern California and southward.

This species is similar to the last but darker and more heavily streaked
below. They breed abundantly in salt marshes, building their nests in
the grass or patches of seaweed barely above the water, and making them
of grass and weeds, lined with hair; the eggs are dull grayish white,
boldly splashed, spotted and clouded with brown and lavender. Size
.78 x .55.

[Illustration 339: Grayish White.]
[Illustration: Savannah Sparrow.]
[Illustration: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: 542b--543.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 338

544. LARGE-BILLED SPARROW. _Passerculus rostratus rostratus._

Range.--Coast of southern and Lower California.

Similar to the Savannah Sparrow but paler and grayer, without yellow
lores and a larger and stouter bill. They are common in salt marshes,
often in company with the last species and their nesting habits are
similar to and the eggs not distinguished with certainty from those of
the latter.

544a. SAN LUCAS SPARROW. _Passerculus rostratus guttatus._

Range.--Southern Lower California.

A slightly darker form of the preceding, having identical habits, and
probably, eggs.

544c. SAN BENITO SPARROW. _Passerculus rostratus sanctorum._

Range.--Breeds on San Benito Islands; winters in southern Lower
California.

The nesting habits and eggs of these very similar subspecies are
identical.

545. BAIRD'S SPARROW. _Ammodramus bairdi_.

Range.--Plains, breeding from northern United States to the
Saskatchewan; south in winter to the Mexican border.

These Sparrows breed abundantly on the plains of Dakota and northward,
placing their nest in hollows on the ground in fields and along road
sides. During June or July, they lay three to five dull whitish eggs,
blotched, splashed and spotted with light shades of brown and gray. Size
.80 x .60.

546. GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. _Ammodramus savannarum australis._

Range.--United States east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf to
Canada.

A stoutly built Sparrow marked on the upper parts peculiarly, like a
quail; nape grayish and chestnut. These birds are common in dry fields
and pastures, where their scarcely audible, grasshopper-like song is