340 General Notes. [^ 



spruces only, though some were in trees of large growth and seventy feet 

 from the ground, while others were placed low in small bushes. 



During the period of incubation the sitting females were observed to 

 be fed by the males, in the same manner that the young are fed by their 

 parents — that is by the disgorging of the contents of the crop into the 

 open mouth of the bird to be fed. When bringing his mate food in this 

 manner the male crossbill would announce his coming by loud pipings, 

 and perching upon a near by tree would continue his excited chirpings 

 some minutes and then fly direct to the nest. Often after having thus 

 fed his mate, he would circle in the air about his home on outstretched 

 flapping wings, giving vent to a perfect ecstasy of song. 



The nests of both species are composed chiefly of twigs and beard-moss. 

 Sometimes feathers, strips of decayed wood and bark, grasses and plant 

 down, were added. On the whole the nests are fairly well built and com- 

 pact, though quite a difference in this respect is noticeable indifferent cases. 



The nesting period of these birds seems very extended. Thus on Jan. 

 31, nests were found with young. The birds have been nesting ever since, 

 and at this date (May 7) flocks of full fledged young can be seen feeding 

 about the woods, while nests with eggs are still to be found. Some years 

 ago a nest of the American Crossbill was found on August 4 containing 

 newly hatched young. — Harold F. Tufts, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. 



Breeding of the Savanna Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis savanna) 

 in Southern New Jersey. — On July 8, 1903, while on a short trip along 

 the coast of southern New Jersey, I was surprised to find a pair of Savanna 

 Sparrows breeding at the extreme lower end of Seven Mile Beach, Cape 

 May County. The nest was situated on the ground in a dry, sandy, open 

 space back of the sand dunes, and was concealed by weeds and drift. It 

 contained three young birds a few days old and one infertile egg. The old 

 birds were seen excellently at close range through a field-glass and thor- 

 oughly identified. Being without a gun neither of them was secured, but 

 the nest, egg and one young were taken, the remaining fledglings being 

 left in an improvised nest. The young bird was kept alive for a day or 

 two longer and then preserved in formalin. His plumage is sufficiently 

 developed to show its general coloration, and this, and the form of the 

 feet, together with the nest and egg, aside from the observations made 

 in the field, are sufficient to render the identification certain. 



The southernmost limit of the breeding range of the Savanna Sparrow 

 on the Atlantic coast is given by Ridgway (1901) as Connecticut, but 

 there are specimens in the Museum collection taken in summer on Long 

 Island, New York, as follows: Centre Moriches, May 30 (four adults); 

 Good Ground, July 1 (one adult); Gardiner's Island, Aug. 12 (1 young). 

 The species has also been recorded by E. C. Thurber in his List of Birds 

 of Morris Co., N. J., as breeding in the vicinity of Morristown, in northern 

 New Jersey, an inland locality. The present record carries the known 

 breeding range about 120 miles still further south. — W. DeW. Miller, 

 Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York City. 



