i8S8.] Bendire, the Nest atid Eggs of Bachman s Sfayyoxv. ? C •? 



about 15°, in some instances the elevation is greater still. The 

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

 above-mentioned nest was found on the side of a hill in a sparse 

 growth of old-field pines {Ptnus tcedd)^ and was suj^ported in 

 the rear by a tuft of grass (broom sedge) . 



A second one, found May 9, in a patch of pine and plum 

 bushes (^Primus chicasd) was held snugly between two tufts of 

 broom sedge. It contained three young birds nearly grown and 

 an addled e-%%. The parents were perched on a pine, about 

 fifteen steps from the Doctor, and manifested their alarm at his 

 presence by their nervous movements. A short search revealed 

 this nest. It resembled the one found on the Sth, except that the 

 entrance was somewliat more inclined upward, and was not 

 quite so well concealed. 



A third nest was found May 33 ; concerning this Doctor Avery 

 wrote me as follows : ''Found nest of Bachman's Sparrow today, 

 on the slope of a hill covered with old-field pines, in an open 

 space, under a fallen pine branch, some coarse grass growing 

 near it. The parent fluttered from under my feet, which had 

 disturbed the nest by striking the pine limb ; my left foot touched 

 the right side of the nest and shook the limb before the bird 

 moved. She drew herself on the ground about a foot from me. 

 and then, literally trembling, every feather quivering in her 

 body, her tail spread and wings drooping, she ran along about 

 ten feet from me. There she remained in open view beside a 

 pine tree, till I at last discovered the nest under my very feet. 

 During all this time she uttered not a sound. When I moved 

 towards her she ran off through some thick weeds and brieis, 

 and finally, I pursuing, she peixhed upon the limb of a tree and 

 began her '•scep^ seep^ till, to make identification sure, I reluc- 

 tantly shot her." 



On June 3 a fourth nest was found in a similar situation to the 

 last, and as in former cases, the noise made by the alarm of the 

 parent at the Doctor's presence attracted his attention and indi- 

 cated to him where to search. In a letter dated June 4 he writes me 

 regarding this find, as follows: "Yesterday I found still another 

 nest of Bachman's Sparrow, but it contained four fledglings instead 

 of eggs. I had been looking for nests of this bird for several 

 hours when, pausing a few moments to look at a tree called 

 here 'mimosa' {Albizzia julibrissin) and wondering by what 



