1912] Taylor: Birds and R&ptiles of Northern Nevada. 401 



Vegetation about springs on the mountain meadows was 

 almost sure to shelter several individuals of this species in com- 

 pany very often with white-crowned sparrows and Macgillivray 

 warblers. 



Fox sparrows feed principally on insects and their larvae 

 which they find in the leaf-mold under willow and aspen thickets. 

 One individual was watched as it worked for its noon meal in 

 the loose matter at the base of a clump of willows. It scratched 

 in a towhee-like manner, using both feet at the same time. It 

 would dig for several seconds in one place, often without reward. 

 The amount of endeavor and labor that had to be bestowed on 

 the task was impressive. 



On June 26 a fox sparrow was observed whose vitality was 

 so low that it could scarcely hop along or scratch in the leaves. 

 Upon being closely examined it was found to be in a very emaci- 

 ated condition and probably diseased. 



The birds were in full song from May 18 to the last of June. 

 The willow tract below Big Creek Ranch was a favorite place 

 of habitation, and the actions of individuals observed during 

 the second and third weeks in June would indicate that they 

 were nesting there, but no nests were discovered. Most of the 

 males had testes enlarged. A female with a bare and calloused 

 breast was secured on June 12, which would indicate that the 

 eggs had been laid by that date. Six days later another female 

 which had evidently been sitting or brooding was noted in Big 

 Creek Canon at an altitude of 4800 feet. Birds were observed 

 in about the same places day after day, which may have indi- 

 cated nests in the vicinity. Juvenals were first observed about 

 the middle of July. Thereafter they were common. 



Pipilo maculatus curtatus Grinnell 

 Nevada Towhee 

 A very few individuals of this species (see Grinnell, 1911, p. 

 309) were noted along Big Creek above the ranch below 5600 

 feet. One was heard singing June 16 on the swaying tip of a 

 willow. Its song did not sound exactly like that of P. m. megal- 

 onyx of southern California. Ridgway (1877, p. 493) has very 

 clearly described the pose and movements of the singing bird. 



