BIRDS OF NEW YORK STATE 91 



Sparrow, Chipping (continued) 



pounces upon the confiding parents. This bird is very useful to 

 the farmer and the gardener for it eats large numbers of harmful 

 insects, such as caterpillars, grasshoppers and leaf-eating beetles ; 

 also weed-seeds, such as chickweed, ragweed and dandelion. It 

 has been seen to bring as many as 70 caterpillars to feed to four 

 young birds in an hour and a quarter. 



Call no, 

 Nu SpC A Pair of Adult Bii-ds on Feeding Station. (1914) Bailey 



When these birds first arrive from the south, they will feed 

 upon seeds put out for them. Distinguished from most other 

 sparrows by its unstreaked ashy breast and chestnut cap. 



Nu SpC2 Nest with Four Eggs of Chipping Sparrow and One Egg 

 of Cowbird. (1909) 



Built of rootlets ; always lined with horse hair. 



Nu SpC3 Male with Food, on Back of Nest with Two Eggs of Spar- 

 row and One of Cowbird. (June 1915) ' Allen 



The male has returned to feed the female, who should be 

 incubating but has been frightened away by the photographer. 



Nu SpC4 Adult and Two Young Birds Bailey 



Note the streaked breast of the young. There are usually two 

 broods a season. 



See nest of chipping sparrow with a young cowbird in it, 

 Nu Co4. 



Nu SpC6 Adult Feeding Young Cowbird. Hamburg. (July 1910) 



Allen 



It is very probable that the young of the sparrow died. Why? 



Sparrow, Field (Spizella pusilla pusilla) 



Associated with the towhee and the indigo bird in the sparsely 

 wooded hillsides, ravines, berry patches and neglected gardens, 

 this pleasant singer leads the company. Most of them pass the 

 winter from New Jersey south. This sparrow is not seen about 

 the house as often as are the song and the chipping sparrows. 5.5 



