THE WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW. 



129 



against the timl with aiKhtimial 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 l>uzz of 

 varying intensity, carries forward the same idea of continuous sound, but 

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

 throat without efYort, and its movement is as tho an unseen hand controlled 

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

 zzzzzzzzzzt, zzz:;.c:£:^zzzt, zzzzzz7.7-T.tX. Z7.7.ZZZZ7JLZ'X, 7:aZ7.22.ZZZT . 



Chippy's nest is a frail affair at Ijest, 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 bird frankly forsakes the wilds, ornamental shrubbery and vines are 



chosen. The nests are often 

 * J^ \ 1 so loosely related to their im- 



^^ - mediate surroundings as to 



gi\'e the impression of having 

 been constructed elsewhere, 

 and then moved bodily to 

 their present site. Some are 

 set as lightly as feathers u])on 

 the tips of evergreen branches, 

 and a heav\' storm in season 

 is sure to liring down a shower 

 of Chippies' nests. 



Eggs are laid during the 

 first or second week of May 

 in the \icinity of .American 

 Lake and from one In three 

 weeks earlier in the sage 

 country. Thc\- are among the 

 nmst faiuiliar objects in Na- 

 ture, and ])articular descrip- 

 tion of them ought to be unnec- 

 essary. But e\'ery person who 

 knows that we are interested 

 in birds has to stop us on the 

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



cutest " "Hold on," we say; "were the eggs blue?" "Ves." "With 



dots on them ?" "Why, yes ; how did you know ?" 



Incubation l.'ists onl\- ten davs and two broods are raised in each season. 



Taken 



Photo bji the Aiill-c 



■FOUR OF THE CUTF.ST 



