124 



THE CONDOR 



Vol. XX 



localities where the specimens were collected. 

 5, 19 IS. 



-T. S. Palmer, Washington, D. C, March 



An Odd Nest of the Song Sparrow of Los Coronados Islands. — Many of the land 

 birds inhabiting the islands off the coast of California have through long isolation ac- 

 quired characteristics so pronounced as to warrant separation from the mainland 

 forms. Not only has the plumage and the dimensions of the birds changed but their hab- 

 its have been altered to conform to the new conditions of life. 



During the past spring it was the writer's good fortune to be able to visit Los Cor- 

 onados Islands, off the coast of Lower California, and to spend several days studying the 

 habits of the nesting birds there. One of the most interesting was the local form of 

 song sparrow, Melospiza melodia clementae. 



There is no water to be found on any of the islands and but a scanty growth of 

 vegetation growing from between the rocks on the steep slopes, surely a strange place 

 to look for nests of the song sparrow. However, a number of the birds were seen and 

 two nests located. One of these, on South Island, was three feet up in a small bush and 



Fig. 22. Nest of Song Sparrow from Los Coronados Islands, in 



WHICH FEATHERS OF VARIOUS SEABIRDS AND A SNAKE-SKIN HAVE 

 ENTERED AS CONSTITUENT MATERIALS. 



Photo by J. B. Dixon. 



on May 5 held one egg. It was constructed of grass entirely and was quite similar to 

 nests found on the mainland. The second nest was found on North Island and was cer- 

 tainly a strange affair, being constructed entirely of feathers and the skin of a lizard 

 (see fig. 22). 



This nest was found in the midst of the large colony of California Brown Pelicans 

 and Western Gulls. It was built on the ground among the rocks, but was completely hid- 

 den by a small scrubby bush, very dense and lying flat and close to the earth. The par- 

 ent bird betrayed her treasures; as I was carefully picking my way among the pelican 

 and gull nests she hopped up through the bush only a few feet ahead of me and immedi- 

 ately ducked back into the identical spot from which she had emerged. Directly below 

 the small opening in the bush was a large ball of feathers. This proved to be the nest 

 and held three slightly incubated eggs. 



It is the only nest of any species of song sparrow that the writer has ever seen 

 which contained so much as one feather. It can truly be said that there is no accounting 

 for individual tastes even among the sparrows. — Nelson K. Carpenter, Escondiclo, Cali- 

 fornia, February 1, 1918, 



