COUES ON BIRDS OF DAKOTA AND MONTANA. 591 



SPIZELLA SOCIALIS, (Wils.) Bp. 



Chipping Sparrow. 



Specimens of this very common and familiar species were taken in 

 the Eocky Moimtaius, and it was observed at other points where none 

 were secured. It is not, however, a conspicuous feature of the avi- 

 fauna of this region, most of which is not suited to its wants, and even 

 at Pembina the Clay-colored Bunting takes the place which the " Chippy " 

 fills in the East. It is, in fact, absent from the greater part of the 



country surveyed. 



List of s]yecime)\s. 



SPIZELLA PALLIDA, {8u\) Bp. 



Clay-colored BuNTma. 



The Western Meadow Lark, Brewer's Blackbird, and the present spe- 

 cies were the chief birds I observed at Pembina to indicate an avifauna 

 in any wise different from that of the Eastern Province at large, and 

 two of these cannot be considered very strong marks, since they both 

 occur some distance farther eastward. Upon my arrival, the 1st of 

 June, these Buntings were all paired, the males were in full song, nidifi- 

 cation was mostly finished, and the eggs were about to be laid. The 

 first specimen procured, June 2, contained a fully formed egg. A nest 

 taken June 5 was scarcely completed. The first complement of eggs 

 was taken June 11 ; it numbered four. I think the eggs are mostly laid 

 by the end of the second week in- June. The nest is placed in bushes, 

 generally within a few inches of the ground. It resembles that of the 

 Chipbird, though it is not so neatly and artistically finished, and often 

 lacks the horse-hair lining, which is so constant and conspicuous a fea- 

 ture of the latter. In size it averages about three inches across outside 

 by two in depth, with a cavity two inches wide and one and a half 

 inches deep. The structure is of fine grasses and slender weed-stalks, 

 with' or without some fine rootlets, sometimes lined with hair, like the 

 Chippy's, sometimes with very fine grass-tops. It is placed in a crotch 

 of the bush or in a tuft of weeds. The copses of scrubby willows I 

 found to be favorite nesting-places, though any of the shrubbery along 

 the river-bank seemed to answer. On those occasions when I approached 

 a nest containing eggs, the female fluttered silently and furtively away, 

 without venturing a, protest. The eggs I found in one case to be depos- 



