SPARROWS AND FINCHES M 



They usually build on the ground a nest of 

 grass, rootlets and strips of bark, lined witli fine 

 grass and hair. Sometimes the nest Is placed in 

 a low bush. For several years a pair has nested 

 in the woodbine on our house, some ten feet 

 above the ground. The eggs are white with dark 

 brown spots. Song Sparrows have a wide range 

 extending over the greater part of the United 

 States. In the east they nest north of Virginia 

 and winter from Massachusetts southward. 



Chipping Sparrow. Another very common 

 friend of lawn, garden and field is the Chip- 

 ping Sparrow. He is a very dapper little fellow, 

 clad in a neat suit of streaked brown above, 

 light slate-gray beneath, with a pretty chestnut 

 cap. He is often called the Hair Bird because 

 the nest of grass in a bush or low tree is usually 

 lined with horsehair. Last year a nest was 

 brought to me made entirely of human hair 

 which probably had been gathered around the 

 back door of the farmhouse, a very dainty 

 receptacle for the four or five tiny blue eggs 

 which are thickly spotted with brown. 



In the woodbine on our house they build every 

 year, and we find them very attractive and 

 happy neighbors. Their only song is a rapidly 

 uttered '' chippy, chippy, chippy,'' running into a 

 trill, not particularly musical and yet a unique 

 and altogether pleasing performance. I have 

 been watching for some time, with much inter- 

 est, the mother caring for the young brood 

 which left the nest more than two weeks ago. 

 Their bodies are now full grown, but they are 

 still bob-tailed, making rather odd-looking little 



