238 



LAND BIRDS 



lessly on the highest twig of the nest bush, he sings to 

 his mate, not to you ; and, the song finished, he disap- 

 pears earthward in the gray-green foliage. 



His nest is either hidden in a low crotch of a bush 

 or on the ground underneath it, and so formed of sage- 

 bark and leaves and dried grasses 

 as to seem a part of its surround- 

 ings. U n le s s the nestlings arc 



hungry and stretch 



up wide-open bills 



for food, you will 



be almost certain to 



overlook the nest. 



When on it the 



mother bird becomes 



practically invisible, 



so well does her soft 



coloring blend with 



and shadows of the 



earth and leaves. 



The buds of the sage- 

 brush form at least a 

 part of their diet, but I 

 am inclined to believe that insects form the larger 

 half 



Mrs. Bailey says : " The absence of a continuous stripe 

 on the side of the throat is enough to distinguish the 

 Sage Sparrow from the Bell," and " his long black tail 

 and its gently tilting motion are good long-i-ange recog- 

 nition marks." 



574 a. Sage Sparrow. 

 ' He sings to his mate, not to you.'' 



