Dr. Heermann found this species very abundant in the fall season, generally associated with the California Song Sparrow and the Z. gambeli. It resorts to the deep shady thickets and woods, where it passes the greater part of its time. In the mountainous districts it prefers the hillsides, covered with dense undergrowth. It occasionally breeds in California, as Dr. Heermann 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 were four in number, and are described as having been of an ashy-white ground, with markings of brown umber, at times appearing almost black from the depth of their shade. They were marked also with a few spots of a neutral tint.
Many of these birds were obtained in Sitka and in Kodiak, by Bischoff, and also in British Columbia by Elliot.
Only one specimen of this species was met with by Mr. Ridgway in his explorations with Mr. Clarence King’s survey. This was taken October 7, 1867, in the West Humboldt Mountains, in company with a flock of Z. gambeli.
Zonotrichia albicollis, Bonap.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.
Fringilla albicollis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 926.—Wilson, Am. Orn. III, 1811, 51, pl. xxii, f. 2.—Licht. Verz. Doubl. No. 247.(1823). Zonotrichia albicollis, Bp. Consp. 1850, 478.—Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 132.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 463.—Samuels, 311. Passer pennsylvanicus, Brisson, 1760, Appendix, 77. Fringilla pennsylvanica, Lath. Index, I, 1790, 445.—Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 42; V, 497, pl. viii.—Ib. Syn. 1839, 121.—Ib. Birds Am. III, 1841, 153, pl. cxci.—Max. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 276. Fringilla (Zonotrichia) pennsylvanica, Sw. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 256. Zonotrichia pennsylvanica, Bon. List, 1838.
Sp. Char. Two black stripes on the crown, separated by a median one of white. A broad superciliary stripe from the base of the mandible to the occiput, yellow as far as the middle of the eye and white behind this. A broad black streak on the side of the head from behind the eye. Chin white, abruptly defined against the dark ash of the sides of the head and upper part of the breast, fading into white on the belly, and margined by a narrow black maxillary line. Edge of wing and axillaries yellow. Back and edges of secondaries rufous-brown, the former streaked with dark brown. Two narrow white bands across the wing-coverts. Length, 7 inches; wing, 3.10; tail, 3.20. Young of the year not in the collection.
Hab. Eastern Province of North America to the Missouri. Breeding in most of the northern United States and British Provinces, and wintering in the United States almost to their southern limit. Aberdineshire, England, August 17, 1867 (Zoölogist, Feb., 1869, 1547; P. Z. S. 1857, 52). Scotland (Newton, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1870, 52).
Female smaller, and the colors rather duller. Immature and winter specimens have the white chin-patch less abruptly defined, the white markings on the top and sides of the head tinged with brown. Some specimens, apparently mature, show quite distinct streaks on the breast and sides of throat and body.
Habits. The White-throated Sparrow is, at certain seasons, an abundant bird in all parts of North America, from the Great Plains to the Atlantic, and from Georgia to the extreme Arctic regions. A few breed in favorable situations in Massachusetts, especially in the extreme northwestern part of the State. It breeds abundantly in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, and in all the British Provinces.