[1903. W. T. Macoun — The Nesting of Birds. 29 



and it is difficult to tell how many broods are raised in a season. 

 The nests are built in holes, corners and cracks in the buildings. 



There are probably more nests of the vesper sparrow on the 

 Farm in one season than any other species not even excepting- the 

 house sparrow. Many nests are found every year, and many 

 nests must be destroyed by the plough and other farm implements. 

 The nest is built on the ground and usually has some partial pro- 

 tection in the form of growing grass or weeds Although no nests 

 of the Savanna sparrow have been found to our knowledge this 

 bird must breed on the Farm, as it is seen there during the 

 summer. The white-throated sparrow's nest has not been found 

 either, but this bird probably builds in the natural woods on the 

 Farm. 



There are none of the small birds which are more associated 

 with the home than the chipping sparrow. This little fellow 

 seems to delight in building his nest near the house and will, if 

 possible, choose a shrub or tree almost if not quite against a 

 building. The nest never seems to be firmly fixed to the branch 

 on which it is resting, and there are probably more capsized 

 chippy's nests after a rain or wind storm than any other species. 



The slate-coloured junco may breed on the Farm but a nest 

 has not been found. 



The song sparrow is quite common but the nest is not as 

 easily found as either the vesper or chipping sparrow. The nest 

 of the vesper sparrow it found by the bird rising almost under 

 one's feec, while the nest of the chipping sparrow is very easily 

 seen in the shrub or tree where it builds. The song sparrow 

 usually builds its nest in dense shrubs or on the ground, but not 

 often in an open position, and hence it is more difficult to find, 

 though the nests are quite common. 



The swamp sparrow's nest has not been found, but it pro- 

 bably breeds in the swamp and marsh near St. Louis dam and the 

 canal. 



In 1895 a dicksissel spent the summer at the Farm and 

 probably a pair were breeding in the meadow where the male bird 

 was seen constantly for some days. This was the first and last 

 record of this bird as it does not as a rule come to Eastern 

 Ontario, 



