TIIF, IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST, 



Bryar.] ; "is becomiDg comixon in 

 Lyons County; absence heretofore 

 due to lack of suitable nesting sites, I 

 think; have taken sets" [Carleton K. 

 Ball] ; summer "resident in Vv'inrie- 

 bago OoLinty ; nesting in trees near 

 houses" [R. M. Anderson]; "arrives 

 in Van Buren County about the mid- 

 dle of Apri] ; they generally prefer to 

 nest near the abode of man, in a briar 

 thicket or small tree, from two to 

 twenty five feet above the ground; 

 has a very low song; sounds much 

 like an insect" [W, G. Savage]; com- 

 mon summer resident in Poweshiek 

 County" [Carl Kelseyl ; "eggs three 

 to five, bluish-green with specks of 

 black about the larger end; nesting 

 on thistles , in bu shes and small trees ; 

 one of our best known and most 

 friendly Sparrows. 



561— {272.) Spizella pallida. (Swain.) 



CLAY-COLOEED SPARROW. 



Rare; throughout the state; nests 

 in the northern portions; "have not 

 met this species, but in Davie's "Nest 

 and Eggs of North American Birds," 

 J. W. Preston is mentioned as having 

 found it breeding in TT^innebago 

 County, Iowa, in June, 1885; it fre-' 

 quented the edges of brush and 

 borders of timber. The nests were 

 placed on the ground; one however, 

 was built in the branches of a low 

 hazel. The materials used in the 

 construction of the nests were fine, 

 round grasses and blades, with a 

 lining of hairs. The eggs were three 

 to five, commonly three or four, the 

 latter number predominating, they 

 are similar in color to those of the 



Chipping Sparrow, and average about 

 the same in size, 05x50" [R, M. 

 Anderson].- "a tolerably common 

 transient visitor in Poweshiek County" 

 (Carl Ivelsey); rather rare in Jackson 

 County; a few nesting in that county; 

 arrives about the middle ot April" (H. 

 J. Giddings); "very rare in Van 

 Buren County; secured one specimen 

 on May 9.h, 1891" (William Savage.) 



5(i3—{271.) Si)izella pusilla. (Wils.) 



FIELD SPARROW. 



Abundant; throughout the state; 

 April to November; more shy than 

 "Spizella socialis"; "common summer 

 resident in Jackson County; arrived 

 March 23rd, 1894; on May 8th, 1894 

 I found a nest of this species, placed 

 in a tussock of grass, about two inches 

 above the ground; it contained six 

 eggs, which I think is unusual, four 

 being the most common number in a 

 set" (H. J. Giddings); "abundant in 

 Van Buren County; nesting in low 

 bushes;! secured an albino of this 

 species a few years ago" [William 

 Savage]; "common summer resident 

 in Poweshiek County" (Kelsey); ar- 

 rives in Van Buren County about the 

 first of April; nests very near the 

 ground in low bushes or tussock of 

 grass; has rather a low little song, 

 yet it can be heard quite a distance; 

 sings any time in the day" (W. G, 

 Savage); two broods are often reared 

 in a season; eggs three to five, grayish 

 white specked with brown; nests 

 placed on the ground of I have found 

 it in a hedge four feet above the 

 ground. " 



