^ t A Bendire, the Nest and Eggs of Backmans Sparro-M. [October 



agency it had been brought to this unusual spot amongst the 

 pines, my attention was attracted by a dark looking little object, 

 quadruped or reptile as I at first supposed, running through the 

 grass and uttering ^chdy, chdy,'' a sound more like the hissing of 

 a snake than the scolding of a bird. I soon discovered my mis- 

 take, however, for the Sparrow, a Bachman's, remained about 

 ten feet from me until I found its nest. Its entrance faced me, 

 looking this time towards the north (the first three found all 

 faced the west). It required a close search to find this nest, 

 though I was standing not more than six feet from it when the 

 peculiar hiss, as it were, of the parent bird and its rustling in the 

 grass, startled me from my musings as to how the beautiful mi- 

 mosa had reached that desolate spot amongst the pines. A peep 

 into the cosy structure discovered the objects of my search ; not 

 four glistening eggs this time, but four outstretched reptile-like 

 mouths and necks greeted my view. At my approach the old 

 bird did not fly, but ran away a few feet from the nest and 

 changed his scolding into an anxious '■seep, seep' till I turned 

 towards him, when he ran along ahead of me for some steps, 

 then rose and perched upon a fallen tree top, chipping and turn- 

 ing about much after the manner of a Wren. Here, while I 

 was examining him with my field glass, he surprised me by 

 bursting into song, soft, sweet, and full of gladness as that which 

 at times wells from his throat when the shadows of evening 

 begin to creep over his sombre pines. It was the male bird 

 that I surprised in the act of feeding his young, who thus ex- 

 pressed his satisfaction at having lured me from his nestlings." 



On June 6 Doctor Avery found another nest of Bachman's 

 Sparrow, containing two eggs. It was domed like those pre- 

 ously found, but the roof was so thin and poorly constructed, 

 that the eggs could be seen through the latter, when standing 

 over and behind the nest. The parent ran from the nest and the 

 Doctor writes in this connection "I have yet to see one fly, as do 

 other birds when disturbed at incubation. They all run, some 

 showing greater alarm than others for the safety of their little 

 thatched domicile." On June 23 a sixth nest, containing four 

 nearly fresh eggs, of Bachman's Sparrow was found by an old 

 negro, and brought by him to Doctor Avery, who writes as 

 follows regarding it : " 'Doctor,' said he (the old negro) 'here 

 am one dem bird nessis you tole me to fetch, ef I fin' any.' Sure 



