68 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 83. 



Field Sparrow (Spisclla pus HI a pusilla) — Four Young. 



Only the last two days of the nest life were noted. The 

 time spent with this pair was 19 hours and 13 minutes. Dur- 

 ing that time 237 pieces of food were delivered^ and 31 excreta 

 removed. The shortest time between feedings was one min- 

 ute and the longest 21 minutes, the average being 10 min- 

 utes between feedings. If each of the four young were fed 

 in regular rotation each received food once in 10 minutes. 

 There were 154 Geometrid larvae (101 green, 37 brown, 13 

 white), 45 grasshoppers, 24 moths, 3 scattering, and 11 un- 

 known. There was no regularity apparent, either of the in- 

 tervals between feedings or of the sort of food secured as re- 

 gards the time of day. All of the birds left the nest in the 

 early morning, and apparently at the same time. It was not 

 certainly determined that they were frightened away by a 

 horse, but that is likely, The male was not seen to bring 

 any food, but he secured some occasionally and delivered it 

 to the female. The food was secured within a radius of 50 

 yards of the nest, mostly from the grass of the orchard, but 

 occasionally from the apple trees. The bird always approached 

 the nest from the same direction, usually alighting on the 

 ground within three yards of the nest and proceeding directly 

 to it by hopping along the grovmd and entering the bunch of 

 grass in which the nest was built by means of a short tun- 

 nel. Her approach with food was heralded by a low chip, 

 to which the young responded by stretching their necks up 

 and opening the mouth. There seemed to be no method to 

 the feeding to make certain that each young bird had a fair 

 share, but all seemed to be equally well fed, judging from 

 their appearance. Most of the excreta was eaten by the old 

 bird. It was not allowed to soil the nest. 



Song Sparrow {Melospisa niclodia mclodia) — Four. 

 This nest was placed in a bunch of weeds beneath a Bald- 

 win apple tree, within six inches of the ground. The old 

 birds were sometimes disturbed by a flock of young chickens. 

 The nest was under observation for the first three davs after 



