DELAWARE VALLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 17 



at the root of a small tree, or partly sheltered by a log or bunch 

 of brush. Less frequently it is placed on a mound of sphagnum 

 in a damper locality. The eggs are sometimes clearly spotted 

 on a greenish- white ground, but are usually clouded with diffuse 

 brown blotches. 



The familiar Chipping Sparrow frequents the cultivated 

 regions and open park-like tracts. The nest is frequently 

 placed on the horizontal boughs of the red spruce. 



Sharing the clearings with its larger White-throated cousin, 

 the Field Sparrow plays its humble part, placing its nest on 

 the ground, among dry ferns or other shelter. 



The Junco is more generally distributed over the plateau 

 than most of the birds. One may catch the flash of its white tail 

 feathers and hear its simple song almost anywhere. The nest 

 may be placed on level ground, under the cover of huckleberry 

 bushes or other growth, in the side of one of the numerous 

 earthy mounds, tucked under a mossy log or the edge of a bank, 

 or sunk in sphagnum after the manner of the Yellow-bellied 

 Flycather. One very unusual nest was found last summer, 

 among the horizontal branches of a spruce tree eighteen feet 

 above the ground. This nest did not prove to be a success. It 

 was so disarranged, probably by the swaying of the branches, 

 that ^he birds deserted it before the set of eggs was complete. 



The Song Sparrow is the same familiar, lovable bird that 

 it is everywhere, found chiefly in the open sections and along 

 the lakes and streams. The nest is usually on the ground, 

 sometimes hidden in moss. Some have been noted which were 

 placed in tussocks, after the custom of the Swamp Sparrow. 

 One was found built against the trunk of a spruce tree, and 

 supported by small dead branches. 



The Swamp Sparrow inhabits the same infrequent marshes 

 as the Red-winged Blackbirds, placing its nest in grassy tus- 

 socks. The song is of the same type as the Junco' s, but dis- 

 tinguishable by a difference in the tone of voice. 



Perhaps the most numerous bird on the plateau is the Che- 

 wink. In the great tracts of scrubby oaks he is most prominent, 

 calling "che-wee" to the passerby, or repeating his loud 

 " Leap year, see-e-e-e " from some prominent perch. The nest 



