Lark Sparrow

SCI Name:  Chondestes grammacus
Protonym:  Fringilla grammaca Exped.RockyMt.[James]Phila.ed. 1 p.139,note dP
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Passerellidae / Chondestes
Taxonomy Code:  larspa
Type Locality:  Belief ontaine, 4 miles from mouth of Missouri River, Missouri.
Author:  Say
Publish Year:  1822
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CHONDESTES
(Passerellidae; Ϯ Lark Sparrow C. grammacus strigatus) Gr. χονδρος khondros  groats, coarse grain; εδεστης edestēs  eater  < εδω edō  to eat; "Fringilla grammaca. Say.  ...  They run upon the ground like a lark, seldom fly into a tree, and sing sweetly." (Say 1823); "G. CHONDESTES. Swains. in Zool. Journ. No. 10.   49. Chondestes strigatus*.   ...   * Since the above was written, I have been gratified by a sight of the valuable addition made to "American Ornithology" by Prince Charles Bonaparte. I have it not in my power, at this moment, to institute a comparison between the bird above described, and the Fringilla grammaca of this writer. They appear, however, to belong to the same group; but as the characters of the genus Spiza are not there detailed, I know not whether it accords with my definition of Chondestes." (Swainson 1827); "Chondestes Swainson, 1827, Philos. Mag., new ser., 1. p. 435. Type, by monotypy, Chondestes strigatus Swainson." (Paynter in Peters, 1970, XIII, p. 87).   
Synon. Emberizoides.

grammaca / grammacus
L. grammicus of lines  < Gr. γραμμικος grammikos  linear  < γραμμη grammē  line  < γραφω graphō  to write.
● “Very often written grammaca, but, as shown by Dr Coues, the proper orthography is grammica” (Sharpe 1888) (Chondestes).

SUBSPECIES

Lark Sparrow (grammacus)
SCI Name: Chondestes grammacus grammacus
grammaca / grammacus
L. grammicus of lines  < Gr. γραμμικος grammikos  linear  < γραμμη grammē  line  < γραφω graphō  to write.
● “Very often written grammaca, but, as shown by Dr Coues, the proper orthography is grammica” (Sharpe 1888) (Chondestes).

Lark Sparrow (strigatus)
SCI Name: Chondestes grammacus strigatus
strigata / strigatus
L. strigatus  furrowed  < strix, strigis  furrow, groove (cf. striga  witch, hag  < strix, strigis  screech-owl).