288 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



and reassuming the work at 4 P. M., and continu- 

 ing until sunset, and often later. The labor of the 

 female seems to be the suitable adjustment of the 

 materials supplied by her partner. 



Nests built in trees differ not only in compact- 

 ness from those placed upon the ground, bnt also 

 in dimensions; the former having a less peripheral 

 extent, and being more neatly and firmly construc- 

 ted. Exteriorly, the nest is composed of the 

 culms of fine grasses so adjusted as to present a 

 decided contrast to the nest of the Spizella monti- 

 cola; the ends of the stems of which a nest of 

 the latter is built, project considerably at the rim, 

 and present the appearance of an enclosure of 

 palisades. Interiorly, there is a lining of fine 

 stems of Panicum, or horse-hairs. Another nest 

 which may be considered typical and which was 

 placed within a cluster of grasses in a cavity in the 

 ground, consists of a framework of coarse grasses 

 and roots of the same, leaves, fragments of paper, 

 somewhat loosely aggregated, and held together 

 by surrounding grasses. Within, is a neat, symme- 

 trical, and firmly built cup-shaped structure formed 

 of grass-stems of Panicum capillare, which is lined 

 with horse-hair. In the work on "North American 

 Birds" it is said that the two types of nests are 

 similarly constructed. Our experience, especially 

 in this section of the country, shows a marked 

 difference. The tree-nests resemble] the cup- 

 shaped structure of the former but are devoid of 

 the underlying basis. 



