2 8o MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



165. Spizella breweri Cass. 

 Brewer's Sparrow. 



Casual visitor in autumn. 



The record,^ made many years ago, of the capture of a Brewer's Sparrow 

 in Watertown remains unique, not only for Massachusetts but also for New 

 England. The bird,^ which is still preserved in my collection, was taken 

 on December 15, 1873, by my friend, Mr. William Stone, who found it perched 

 in an apple tree near the borders of a little pond at the rear of Mount Auburn. 

 It fell, when shot, on a pile of rubbish, where Mr. Stone looked for it vainly 

 for some time ; indeed, he was about to abandon the search when he happened 

 to see the tip of its tail projecting from a crevice between two stones. Thus by 

 the merest chance was the fact established that Brewer's Sparrow has occurred 

 in New England. Its true home is the western United States where it ranges 

 from the Rocky Mountains to the interior valleys of California and northward 

 into British Columbia. 



166. Spizella pusilla (Wils.). 

 Field Sparrow. Huckleberry-bird. 



Common summer resident ; of casual occurrence in winter. 



SEASONAL occurrence. 



March 30, 1905, two males singing, Lexington, W. Fa.\on. 



April 12 — November i. (Winter.) 

 November 13, 1898, one seen, Belmont, W. Faxon. 



NESTING DATES. 



May 25 — June 5. 



Although closely related to the Chippy, the Field Sparrow is a bird of 



1 W. Brewster, American Naturalist, VIII, 1874, 366-367. 

 ^ No. 968, collection of William Brewster. 



