238 



LAND BIRDS 



lessly on the highest twig of the nest bush, he sings to 

 his mate, not to you ; and, the song finished, he disap- 

 pears earthward in the gray-green foliage. 



His nest is either hidden in a low crotch of a bush 

 or on the ground underneath it, and so formed of sage- 

 bark and leaves and dried grasses 

 as to seem a part of its surround- 

 ings. U n le s s the nestlings are 

 liunorv and stretch 

 up wide-open bills 

 for food, you will 

 be almost certain to 

 overlook the nest. 

 When on it the 

 mother bird becomes 

 practically invisible, 

 so well does her soft 

 coloring blend with 

 .^..^.. and shadows of the 

 J^'\ earth and leaves. 



The buds of the sage- 

 brush form at least a 

 part of their diet, but I 

 am inclined to believe that insects form the larger 

 half. 



Mrs. Bailey says : " The absence of a continuous stripe 

 on the side of the throat is enough to distinguish the 

 Sage Sparrow from the Bell," and " his long black tail 

 and its gently tilting motion are good long-range recog- 

 nition marks." 



574 a. Sage Sparkow. 

 He sings to his mate, not to you. 



