NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 315 



June and July, making its nest upon the ground in pine woods. He 

 states that the birds breed in numbers seven miles north of Charleston, 

 but the nests are difficult to find, only a single one having come under 

 his observation. Mr. William lyloyd notes Bachman's Sparrow as a 

 summer visitor in eastern Concho county, Texas, where nests are 

 found from May 20 to June i. 



Capt. Charles E. Bendire describes five nests, and several full 

 sets of eggs of Bachman's Sparrow, which were presented to the 

 National Museum collection by Dr. William C. Avery, of Greensboro, 

 Alabama, in which vicinity they were taken in the months of May and 

 June. Capt. Bendire says: "All the nests of this bird vary totally in 

 structure from those of the other species of the genus Peuccsa^ as far 

 as known to me. They are all distinctly roofed-over or domed, a 

 feature only found in the nest of a closely allied species, Embernagra 

 rufivirgata^ the Texas Sparrow, which constructs a somewhat similar 

 nest. They are cylindrical in shape, about seven or eight inches long 

 by three inches in height and four and one-half inches wide. The 

 inner cavity is from three to four inches in length, about two inches 

 wide, and one and three-quarters inches high. The rear wall of the 

 nest is about one and three-quarters inches thick, the sides about an 

 inch, and the roof a little over half an inch in thickness. These meas- 

 urements vary somewhat in different specimens. The nests are all con- 

 structed out of dry grasses exclusively, and are lined with fine grass 

 tops only. Some are much more artistically and compactly built than 

 others; the roof projects somewhat over the entrance in all cases." 

 The nest is always placed in a depression of the ground, and the 

 entrance is invariably canted upwards at an angle of about 15°. The 

 entrance to the majority of the nests faced the west.* The nests 

 were found in growths of old-field pines, in patches of pine and plum 



'■'Doubtless the honor of giving the first description of the arched or domed nests of Bachman's 

 Finch, belongs to Mr. T. D. Perry, of Savannah, Georgia. His account was published in " The Young 

 Oologist," for October, 18S4, p. 83. As the article sheds some light on other characteristics of the birds, 

 I quote it in full, as follows; "This species, 1 believe, is somewhat rare and but little known, but this 

 season I had the good fortune to find them breeding quite numerously among the rank grass in old 

 fields. They are somewhat shy in their actions when flushed from the nest, running oflF a little way, 

 beating the ground with the wings and uttering a slight chirping sound, seeming all the time to be in 

 great distress. They build on the ground in a slight hollow; nest composed of dry grass and roots; 

 nest nearly arched over; they lay four white eggs, one-half inch wide by three-quarters long. The 

 first nest I found was on May 18, incubation far advanced; therefore allowing for time of building, 

 laying of eggs, and advancement of incubation, it stands to reason that they commence to build about 

 the last of April. All the nests that I have ever found (and I found nine (9) this season, in which all 

 except two, had young large enough to fly) hav« been in the same field, and in nearly every instance 

 have been near a path, leaving little doubt that they are sociable birds, and prefer to breed in company. 

 They do not rise right off the nest, but seem to run through the grass a little way before flying, but by 

 standing still and watching, you will soon see the bird sneaking back, and you will find the nest every 

 time, at least I have found it so. Whether they remain with us the whole year, or only come from 

 farther South to breed, I am at present unable to say." 



