YOu.1t| Relationship of Sparrows. 23 
Bell’s sparrow ( Amphispiza belli) is a resident and breeds com- 
monly, although it is quite difficult to find their nests. I have had 
the fortune to find but two of them, in both cases in cafions, placed 
in small bushes about eight inches from us: ground. The number 
of eggs in each instance was four. 
The earliest specimen, in my collection, was taken Nov. 27, 1887. 
During a fortnight’s stay in Riverside, from Dec. 24, 1889, to 
Jan. 3, 1890, I took three Bell’s sparrows and seven sage sparrows. 
The difference in size of these birds is very apparent, even at 
good range gun-shot, both in the lighter coloration and greater 
size of wing and length of tail of the sage sparrow. Their actions, 
too, are quite different. The sage sparrows are much wilder, and 
never have I shot one ina cafion. Mr. Ridgway observes of these 
birds in breeding season that “ at Carson City he found these spar-— 
rows very abundant, * * * * as it was also the most unzsuspi- 
cious and Samiliar. * It was even difficult to keep them from under 
the feet. A pair would often run before him for a distance of sev- 
eral rods with their unexpanded tails elevated, and when too 
nearly approached would only dodge in among the bushes instead 
of flying off.” (See Baird, Brewer & Ridgway, N. A. Birds, Vol. 
I., p. 595.) So in this respect their habits are apparently different 
in their summer and winter homes. They prefer the sage brush of 
the open plain, generally associating with several others and often 
going in scattered flocks. 
Bell’s sparrow freely mingles with them, but the collector after 
some experience has but little trouble in discriminating between 
them. The sage sparrow is much more terrestrial than Bell’s, 
often running along the ground in cases where Bell’s would fly, 
and holding their black tails high in air, then mounting to the top_ 
of a sage bush till you get nearly in gun-shot they will drop down 
on the other side and make for the next bush as fast as their little 
legs can carry them, in the manner of a California thrasher ( Har- 
porhynchus redivivus). Often one can get a cross fire on the bird 
__as he runs from bush to bush. 
Last January I was again at Riverside fora week, and riding out 
on the plains towards the hills, I saw more than I had ever noticed 
before, both in large flocks and individually. Indeed, I saw one — 
_ flock with over a hundred in it. How I did long for a gun! : 
Italics my own. 
