Wayne: Birds of South Carolina. 127 



near Parker's Ferry on the Edisto River, nor Audubon, who 

 described it, was able to find its nest. 



Bachman's Sparrow is a permanent resident and breeds abun- 

 dantl)^ in open pine woods, placing its nest on the ground in tufts 

 of grass, or under jessamine vines and scrubby oak sprouts. The 

 nest is cylindrical in shape and is constructed of grass tops, but 

 if that material is wanting various weeds are used. All the nests 

 that I have found were completely arched over. While the birds 

 generally breed near a road or footpath, I have occasionally found 

 nests in the interior of the forest away from such situations. 

 They are exceedingly difficult to find, and can only be discovered 

 by watching the female while building or upon her return to the 

 nest after feeding. The male takes no part in the construction 

 of the nest, neither does he assist in incubating the eggs, but sim- 

 ply stays near the place where his mate is and pours forth his 

 exquisite song. 



The date of breeding varies greatly in different seasons. I 

 have found eggs almost hatched as early as April 7, and have seen 

 young birds nearly fledged on May 2, while I have watched other 

 birds which did not begin to build until late in April. As a rule, 

 however, the eggs are laid between April 28 and May 4. Three 

 broods are raised, the last being hatched in August, as I have 

 taken eggs as late as July 23. Of a set of four eggs taken in 1887 

 atMcPhersonville,one measures .79 X .63, the other three, .75X.63. 

 The eggs number four or five and are pure white, generally 

 without gloss, but I have taken specimens as glossy as most 

 woodpecker's eggs. 



This bird is the finest songster of the sparrow family. The 

 song period is of long duration, beginning in February and last- 

 ing until the middle of August. I quote from my notebook 

 dated February 26, 1901, the following: ''Heard a Bachman's 

 Finch sing beautifully at night. He sang as sweetly as if it were 

 May, although the night was very cold and the ground partly 

 covered with snow and ice." Bachman's Finch spends the win- 

 ter months in broom-grass fields which are adjacent to pine woods, 

 and at this season utters only a few chirping call-notes. It lies 

 close to a dog and in this respect resembles the Bob-white. 



219. Melospiza melodia (Wils.). Song Sparrow. 



My earliest record for the arrival of this winter visitant is Sep- 

 tember 22, and by October 5 it is common. As soon as the males 



