228 LAND BIRDS 



dauntless courage, and allowed me to touch her before 

 she could be induced to leave her nest, when the speckled 

 eggs were laid. She was a fluffy, fascinating bit of soft 

 grayish brown and buffy, with sparkling eyes that flashed 

 indignant protest at my intrusion. After ten days, when 

 those small eggs had hatched into nestlings, the life of 

 both parents was full of care. The nestlings were fed 

 by regurgitation for the first few days. After that in- 

 sects of many sorts, and seed, were brought to the nest 

 at surprisingly short intervals, yet those young Chippies 

 were never satisfied; and long after they were well 

 feathered and out of the nest they followed the parents 

 about, begging constantly for food. They were exquis- 

 itely proportioned little creatures, from the time the thin 

 fuzz began to show on their bald heads until they were 

 clothed in soft brown feathers, like the adults. 



The call note of this bird is a thin, shrill " chip, chip," 

 which has given it its name. The fact that, wherever 

 placed, the nest is always beautifully lined with horse- 

 hair, has won for it the nickname of " Hair Bird " in the 

 East, and this name is equally applicable to the Western 

 variety, though less frequently applied to it. 



562. BREWER SPARROW.— Spizella breweri. 



Family : The Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 5.00-5.60. 



Adults: Entire upper parts grayish brown, streaked with blackish, less 



distinct on head and ear-coverts ; under parts soiled grayish ; winter 



plumage more buffy. 

 Young : Similar to adult, but chest and sides streaked with dusky ; 



upper parts less distinctly streaked ; wings with two distinct bands. 



