CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 175 



Two, and sometimes three, broods are reared in a single season. The nest is placed in a tussock of 

 grass, either on a steep hillside or on a ledge of some cliff. Again the nest is occasionally found in 

 the low places near the water's edge of some small cove. There is great diversity of location 

 sought by this bird in nesting habits. The nest is well built of grass, coarse blades for the foun- 

 dation and finer ones as the nest approaches completion. The inside of the nest is lined with 

 feathers of various birds. 



The number of eggs varies from four to six ; the latter number is rare, five being the usual 

 number. 



The young birds are fed -exclusively on insects for the first few days. The old birds are quite 

 expert in seizing insects on the wings. I have frequently seen them dart frorn a prominent rock 

 to secure a passing lepidopter. The large galliuipper is a choice morsel for them, and these birds 

 may frequently be seen hoppiug, along the paths or edges of grass patches, in search of them and 

 other insects. 



This Sparrow is not shy, as it frequently alights on the window-sill to search about the turf, 

 piled against the houses, for food. 



I frequeutly threw out pieces of bread or cracker for these birds, and soon taught them to 

 know where they could get something on days of bad weather; and those days come with suf- 

 ficient frequency. 



The house-top was a favorite place for them to alight early in the morning to sing. One bird 

 delighted to sit on the wind-vane, while a gentle, unsteady wind would swing him round and back, 

 evidently to his great delight, as he constantly uttered his song, which I have in vain tried to imi- 

 tate, as it consisted of such rapid modulations that 1 could never catch it. They will at times sing 

 part of their song and stop short, as though interrupted, look around for a few seconds, and be- 

 gin where they left off. The song is usually sung iu answer to that of a rival male. After being 

 repeated many times one or the other of the males is certain to approach the other and again re- 

 peat his song. 



The males are as a general thing peaceable. I saw two males which were a long time in set- 

 tling some variance between them. They began early iu March to alight near each other and 

 remains steadfastly, within two or three feet of each other, each waiting a movement of the other 

 which would be immediately taken advantage of. Any retreat was closely followed up, and the 

 pursuer was frequeutly brought to au abrupt stand by the sudden turning of the one pursued. 

 Wheu either of them took flight the other immediately attacked him by pecking and attempting to 

 catch the wing feathers in his claws to bring him to the ground. Only once did I see them in 

 close combat, and as they soon parted without apparent damage, and again that same day re- 

 newed the chasing on the ground, I concluded they did not have a very serious matter between 

 them. This warfare between these birds continued into early May, when they, being absorbed iu 

 their household duties, lost sight of. 



During the severest weather these birds seek shelter under a projecting bunch of grass on the 

 base of a bluff, or under the eave of the house, or edge of the thatch; during the severest gusts, 

 of wind and snow, these pleasing birds will be singing their song, unmindful of storms or cares. 



The name of this Sparrow in the Attu language is Chik chc Ulch, and refers to its note. 



A careful comparison of individuals of this species from all the principal islands of the Aleu- 

 tian chain and from the islands south of Aliaska, including Kadiak, reveals no appreciable differ- 

 ences, but they are notably differently colored, and average slightly larger than rufina from Cook's 

 Inlet, the mainland, and the adjacent islands south of the inlet. 



Iu cinerea the upper surface is brownish- plum besus, outer surface of wings somewhat more brown, 

 the greater coverts slightly rufescent. Interscapulars with medial broad but obsolete streaks of 

 sepia brown ; crown and upper tail coverts with more sharply defined and narrower dusky shaft- 

 streaks. Beneath giayish-.white, much obscured by brownish -plumbesus laterally. A whitish, 

 supraloral space, but no appreciable superciliary stripe ; a whitish maxillary stripe, beneath it an 

 irregular one of dusky sepia; irregular streaks of dark grizzly-sepia ou breast and along sides, 

 blended into a broad crescent across the jugulum. The female has more grayish white on the 

 lower parts, especially on the abdomen ; otherwise there is uo exterior differences in the sexes. 

 The autumnal plumage is little darker, but similarly distributed, and with less whitish on the 

 lower parts. 



