THE WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW. 



129 





against the tuol with additional force and serves to mark a single revolution, 

 but the continuous burr which underlies the accented points, or trill-crests, 

 is satisfied by this comparison alone. The other effort, a peculiar buzz of 

 varying intensit}'. carries forward the same idea <.)f continuous sound, but 

 the comparison changes. In this the song appears to pour from the tiny 

 throat without eft'urt. and its muvement is as tho an unseen hand controlled 

 an electric buzz, whose activity varies with the amount of "juice" turned on: 

 zzzzzzzzzzt, zzzr^r.=zzzt, r.:;r.:zzzzzzt, ZZZZZZZZZZT, ZZZZZZZZZZT. 



Chippy "s nest is a frail affair at best, altho often elaborately constructed 

 of fine twigs, rootlets and grasses with a plentiful lining of horse-hair. In 

 some instances the last-named material is exclusively employed. A sage- 

 bush is the favorite situation on the plains of the Columbia, a horizontal fir 

 branch in the wet country. Rose thickets are always popular, and where 

 the Iiird trankl_\- forsakes the wilds, ornamental shruhberv and vines are 



chosen. The nests are often 

 so loosely related to their im- 

 mediate surroundings as to 

 give the impression of having 

 been constructed elsewhere, 

 and then mo\-ed bodilv to 

 their present site. Some are 

 set as lightly as feathers upon 

 the tips of evergreen branches, 

 and a heavy storm in season 

 is sure to bring down a shower 

 of Chippies' nests. 



Eggs are laid during the 

 first or second week of May 

 in the vicinity of American 

 Lake and from one to three 

 weeks earlier in the sage 

 country. They are among the 

 most familiar objects in Na- 

 ture, and particular descrip- 

 tion of them ought to be unnec- 

 essary. But every person who 

 knows that we are interested 

 in birds has to stop us on the 

 street to tell about the "cunningest little nest, you know, with four of the 



cutest " "Hold on," we say: "were the eggs blue?" "Yes." "^^'ith 



dots on them?" "Why, yes: how did vou know?" 



Inculiation lasts onlv ten da^•s and two broods are raised in each season. 



Taken near Chelan. Photo by the 

 "FOUR OF THE CUTEST ." 



Author . 



