Nesting Time, 



dently meant for a love-song, although 

 without any of the sweetness of the 

 bird's habitual strain. 



The western lark-finch builds her 

 nest during the latter part of April, 

 placing it, as a rule, in a low bush or 

 tree, and laying some four or five white 

 eggs scrawled with dark brown lines. 

 The house finch, which has been carry- 

 ing on an animated courtship for some 

 time past, begins to breed at about the 

 same period, or perhaps a trifle earlier. 

 The nest is placed in vines about houses, 

 among the garden trees or bushes ; and 

 the eggs, usually four in number, but 

 rarely increased to seven, are pale bluish 

 green with fine dots of black. It is 

 strange that a bird which passes most of 

 the winter with us should not nest 

 earlier, but they evidently plan to finish 

 the family cares just when the fruit 

 ripens, so that the young can be initiated 

 into the mysteries of robbing orchards. 

 By the twenty-fifth of April the 

 warbling vireo and the western chipping 



2IO 



