2*7 Saunders, The IpszvicJi Sparro-v. Ludv 



wich. These figures utterly fail to give any idea of the enormous 

 difference in the quantity of material present in the nests of the 

 Ipswich Sparrow, which are very thick-walled and substantial ; 

 therefore I have weighed them and find that while two ordinary 

 nests of the Ipswich Sparrow average 300 grains each, the nest of 

 the Savanna weighs but no grains. 



Since returning from the island, a letter from the Superinten- 

 dent informs me that they had (in July I think) a gale of 60 

 miles an hour ! Such occurrences, coupled with a spring tempera- 

 ture which may be characterized as moderate to cool, explain the 

 absolute necessity that these birds are under to build a heavy 

 and compact nest. 



Dry localities were almost invariably selected as nesting sites, 

 only two exceptions to this rule being noted, both on May 20 when 

 I obtained a set of 4 eggs from a nest in low damp ground under 

 long wiry rushes ; and found another nest near water but on drier 

 ground among long grass, containing one addled tgg, one egg 

 almost hatched, and two newly hatched young. 



The birds were seldom close sitters, some of them leaving the 

 nest as soon as an intruder was seen, judging from the fact that 

 the eggs were so often found uncovered. Others would be seen 

 to leave when I was still 15 to 20 yards distant and only the one 

 that had built in the damp locality dared to remain till I got 

 within 2 or 3 feet. Even the mother of the newly hatched young 

 flew when I was 15 yards away but in that instance I was running, 

 and I came over an eminence and down a grade towards her nest 

 which was situated on a slight upward slope facing me and directly 

 in my line of passage, and she could hardly be expected to await 

 such an attack. It must be remembered that all upright objects 

 appear disproportionately large on Sable Island from the lack of 

 trees or other upright growths of any size. 



The eggs vary considerably both in size, shape and color. The 

 two largest measure .81 x .64 and .84 x .59 in. and the two smallest 

 •75 ^ -57 ^"^ -73 •^ -^3' ^'^^ average of the eggs in the six sets in 

 my possession being .79 x .60. 



But the variation in color is more surprising to me, perhaps 

 because my limited series of Savanna's show so little variation. 

 Two sets resemble a common phase of the Vesper Sparrow, one 



