Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States; north to Indiana and Illinois. This variety is common in most localities in its range, frequenting pine woods and barrens chiefly, and nesting on the ground in May or June. Their nests are made of grasses and lined with very fine grass, and have the tops completely arched over leaving a small entrance on the side. The eggs are pure white with a slight gloss and measure .75 × .60. 576. BOTTERI'S SPARROW. _Peucæa botterii._ Range.--Mexican plateau north to southern Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. They nest in abundance in tall grass in the lowlands of their range, the nests being difficult to find because the bird flushes with great difficulty. The nests are on the ground, made of grass, and the three to five eggs are pure white, measuring .75 × .60. [Illustration 354: 574.1--576.] [Illustration: White.] [Illustration: deco.] [Illustration: left hand margin.] Page 353 578. CASSIN'S SPARROWS. _Peucæa cassini._ Range.--Plains and valleys from Texas and Arizona north to Kansas and Nevada. These birds breed in numbers on the arid plains, placing their grass nests on the ground at the foot of small bushes or concealed in tufts of grass, and during May lay four pure white eggs which are of the same size and indistinguishable from those of others of the genus. 579. RUFOUS-WINGED SPARROW. _Aimophila carpalis._ Range.--Plains of western Mexico and north to southern Arizona. This pale colored bird bears a remote resemblance to the Tree Sparrow. They nest commonly in dry arid regions, placing their nests at low elevations in bushes or cacti, preferably young mesquites, and making them of coarse grass lined with finer. Two broods are raised a season and from May to August sets of four or five plain bluish white eggs may be found. Size .75 × .60. 580. RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW. _Aimophila ruficeps ruficeps._ Range.--Local in southern half of California and in Lower California. A brownish colored species both above and below, which is found on mountains and hillsides in restricted localities. They nest on the ground placing their grass structures in hollows, usually at the foot of a small bush or shrub and well concealed. They lay from three to five pale bluish white eggs. Size .80 × .60. 580a. SCOTT'S SPARROW. _Aimophila ruficeps scotti._ Range.--Western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona south in Mexico. A paler species, above, than the last, and whitish below. It is quite a common species on the mountain ranges where it nests on the ground, in clumps of grass or beneath shrubs or overhanging rocks; the nests are made of grasses and weeds scantily put together. The eggs are white, untinted. Size .80 × .60. 580b. ROCK SPARROW. _Aimophila ruficeps eremæca._ Range.--Middle and southern Texas and south in Mexico.