22 THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 
note.” It is a sharp, yet melodious warble and very noticeable. As 
I stroll through some secluded woods on a summer day, I notice a 
delicately formed, elegant little bird, flitting back and forth in a low 
tree. I stand still, hidden by the giant trunk of a lofty pine. I no- 
tice the golden-yellow throat and bronzed breast, contrasting with 
what an admirable effect with the blue back, set off by a triangular 
patch of buffy behind the shoulders, from which he takes his name. 
The first nest of this species found by me last year was on June 
2oth. JI was wandering through a deep woods, by the border of a 
small pond, when I came upon the male. His excitement on seeing 
me prompted me to retire and watch his motions, unobserved, from 
distance, feeling sure the nest was close at hand. He soon flew to it 
and I hastened forward to take a peep, in hopes of discovering some 
oological treasures. In fact I did find four, fully in keeping with the 
appearance of the bird and as delicately pretty specimens, both in 
texture and color, as any collector could wish to place in his cabinet. 
The nest, a typical one, was made of long moss from the neighbor- 
ing trees, and vegetable fibres ; lined with horse-hair. The materials 
are all piled in a bunch and placed in a crotch, and the nest was hol- 
lowed out of the side. It was in a bush, about 5 ft. from the ground, 
on a limb overhanging the water. The eggs were of a delicate white, 
spotted with reddish. 
Perhaps not so interesting, yet fully as instructive will the study of 
the Sparrow family prove. This family has so many representatives 
in every locality that to describe any considerable portion of them in 
a brief article would be futile ; hence, I shall only speak of one spe- 
cies, which is one of the rarer breeders in this vicinity. I have found 
only two nests of the White-throated Sparrow, Z. Albicollis ; both 
within the last year. The first was discovered one day when I was 
watching a Nuthatch in hopes of discovering its domicile. It was 
in a low, damp grove, and suddenly my attention was attracted by a 
thin, silvery whistle which I had never heard before. I sought in 
vain for the bird. In a moment I heard it again,‘‘a wandering voice.” 
This time I discovered its author, in a low bush, some distance away. 
‘The melodious tones sounded inexpressibly sweet, ringing upon the 
ear in the lonely solititudes of the pines. Having no gun, I pulled 
out the next best thing, a notebook, and while doing so my eye fell 
upon the nest, buiit low in a bush a few rods away. It contained one 
egg and a week later I took the set of four. 
