Vol.Xin General Notes. 305 



1895 J tv ../ 



It had been built with a few twigs as a foundation, and a thick layer of 

 bark, stripped from the cedars and hemlocks which grow about there in 

 profusion, and the whole structure, Avhich was very bulky, was topped 

 off and thoroughly lined with plant down. It looked not unlike a large 

 edition of a Phoebe's or Wood Pewee's nest, and was one of the best built 

 and most comfortable nests I ever saw. 



The birds, of which there were several pairs, were still about Camp, 

 but no other nests could be found. They were very tame, and extremely 

 fond of salt, and could often be found paddling about in the drippings 

 under the cold storage house, or perched on a yellow birch beside it. 

 Often thev might be seen walking sedately about on the banks around 

 the Camp, and the males with their beautiful, clear and almost metallic 

 notes spent much of their time singing from the tops of some of the 

 neighboring pines, a song that once heard can never be forgotten. 



Mr. Geo. W. Smith, one of the guides at Camp, informs me that during 

 the latter part of May, 1890, as he and another guide were going through 

 some low spruce brush near Brandreth Lake, Hamilton County, they 

 found a Crossbill's nest placed at the height of about five feet against the 

 stem of a low spruce tree. The nest contained four or five young, which 

 immediately fluttered off in different directions upon his putting his 

 hand into it. This nest he tells me was similar in construction to the 

 one above cited, except that it was not quite so bulky. — F. H. Kenxard, 

 Brookline, Mass. 



Peculiar Nest of a Chipping Sparrow. — Regarding the use of unusual 

 materials in the construction of nests, the following note may be of 

 interest. A nest of Spizella socialis was found in Boylston, Mass., June 9, 

 1890, built entirely of hog's bristles. It was very white and neatly made 

 but being placed in the underpinning of a cider mill in an exposed place, 

 where it was quickly discovered by children, it was abandoned before 

 any eggs Avere laid. — Helen A. Ball, Worcester, Mass. 



Harris's Sparrow in British Columbia. — Mr. Brewster states in the 

 last number of ' The Auk ' that the second occurrence of Harris's Spar- 

 row {Zonotric/iia harrisi) in British Columbia is reported by Mr. Brooks 

 from Chilliwhack, B. C The second occurrence of Harris's Sparrow is 

 reported by me in the January number of ' The Auk ' taken by Mr. W. B. 

 Anderson at Comox, B. C, on the 20th of November, 1894. (See Auk, 

 Januarv, p. 76, 1895.) On the first of December I received two more speci- 

 mens of this bird from the same careful observer who reported having 

 seen others. It is very likely Harris's Sparrow is going to make a home 

 in British Columbia. I am certain Mr. Brewster had not seen my notice 

 when he made the statement but this correction is due Mr. Anderson. — 

 J. Faxxix, Victoria, B. C. 



The Lark Bunting in South Carolina. — One afternoon in the early 

 part of April 1 noticed a very plump looking Sparrow while I was walk- 



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