1416 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 pakt 3 



of the alder thickets on hillsides and sheltered ravines" and noted 

 it could be found "wherever a fair-sized alder patch occurs." John 

 Q. Hines (1963) also noted "Fox Sparrows were commonly associated 

 with alders and willows within the spruce forest" on the Noatak 

 River. Joseph Grinnell (1900) in the same area found them "quite 

 common up to the 23rd of August, when they abruptly disappeared. 

 Until the day of their departure, their clear ringing songs were to be 

 heard almost every hour of the day." Alfred M. Bailey (1948) 

 states that in the Kotzebue Sound area they "wander far out on the 

 tundra." 



In the Mackenzie region Edward A. Preble (1908) writes: "its sweet 

 song may be heard from the alder and willow thickets from the 

 time of the bird's coming, though often a late snowstorm whitens its 

 haunts." Thomas H. Manning (1948) notes that in northern Mani- 

 toba fox sparrows "favored the same habitats as Harris' sparrows, 

 but differed greatly in behaviour. The latter are bold and perky 

 and delight in showing off, while the fox sparrow quietly glides from 

 one hidden perch to another." 



Herbert Brandt (1943) describes a nest found on the slopes of the 

 Askinuk Range: "The structure was supported by a much-divided 

 willow crotch about a foot above the ground, and entirely lacked the 

 concealment of the nests of many of the other bush-loving species 

 which so tantalizes the ornithologist. The nest was strong and 

 somewhat bulky, and had for its foundation numerous small twigs, 

 but its real structure was composed mainly of ripe grass with some 

 reindeer moss; while the well-molded interior was lined with finer grass 

 and a little true moss." A nest J. W. Bee (1958) found near Umiat 

 June 30, 1952, "the top of which was flush with the ground in a 

 clearing among willows and alders, both bare of leaves, had four 

 young approximately five days old." Preble (1908) found a nest 

 on the Mackenzie June 23 that " * * * contained three eggs almost 

 ready to hatch. It was built on diy ground on the border of a swamp 

 and outwardly was composed of grass, moss, and strips of bark, and 

 was lined with fine grass and dog's hair." 



Gabrielson and Lincoln (1959) venture: "The period of incubation 

 is the 12 to 14 days that is common among sparrows of this type, 

 and the young usually remain in the nest a somewhat shorter period." 



The same authors say: "The song — one of the most beautiful of 

 sparrow songs — is a clear, loud, canary-like warble, which is difficult 

 to describe but is easily remembered when once heard. As a songster 

 it is conspicuous, usually choosing as a singing perch a twig that is 

 well up in the bushes, the topmost part of a small tree, or on a con- 

 spicuous dead branch." Nelson (1887) states the males sing "pew- 

 e-e-dudy-jew" from the roof of the highest building. Dice (1920) 



