Nov., 1906 | 
THE BELL SPARROW 
153 
well concealed. The height ranges, however, from four inches to two feet. The 
nest is composed of weeds and weed stems, which are exactly the color of the bush 
in which the nest is situated. It is lined with a little hair or, perhaps, a little rab- 
bit fur, cotton, or plant down. The measurements of a nest before me are: — Inside 
diameter 2 inches; inside depth 1% inches; outside diameter 2^ inches; outside 
depth 3 inches. 
The eggs of this species are very prettily marked and show wide variation, 
some having only a few specks of reddish brown, principally on the larger end, 
others, being marked with large blotches, perhaps all over, but more generally on 
the larger end only. These blotchings are intermixed with the smaller, finer mark- 
ings. I have seen some eggs that have only a few markings, but I have never seen 
any eggs entirely without markings. Out of the numerous sets that I have dis- 
covered I have never seen more than four eggs in a nest. This is the usual com- 
plement tho we rarely find only three. 
Claremont , Cal. 
NEWS NOTES 
A news note in Science for October 26, 1905, announces the death of a condor belonging to 
the New York Zoological Park and valued at $ 300 . This fine bird had lived healthily in the 
Park for two years, and the cause of its sudden death remained a mystery until an autopsy was 
held. It was found that a large rubber band, presumably administered by some visitor, had 
lodged in the pyloric orifice of the stomach, completely closing it, and arresting the entire 
process of digestion. Such exasperating occurrences as this have compelled the Zoological Soci- 
ety to forbid the feeding of animals by visitors. 
Mr. J. H. Bowles spent the early part of the past summer east of the Cascades, and obtained 
much new information for his and Mr. Dawson’s forthcoming ‘Birds of Washington.” 
Lieut. F. B. Eastman is stationed for the winter at Fort Egbert, near Flagle, Alaska. This is 
65 degrees north latitude, and yet is in a region of relatively abundant bird-life. We hope Mr. 
Eastman enjoys his winter’s experience among the boreal birds; for they are welcome and sociable 
acquaintances in that remote region as we ourselves have reason to know. 
The manuscript for Part IN' of Ridgway’s ‘‘Birds of North and Middle America” is com- 
pleted, and is now in the hands of the government printer. We hope there will be no delay in 
the publication of this important work. 
Malcolm P. Anderson is at last accounts (August 23) collecting with good success on Sagha- 
lien Island, north of Japan. 
Mr. W. W. Brown has gone to the Cape Region of Lower California, where he will collect in 
the interests of Mr. John E. Thayer. 
Mr. R. C. McGregor continues to explore various small Islands of the Philippine Archipel- 
ago. Under date of August 27, he writes that he has just finished Bohol, getting 140 species of 
birds, where there had been only 55 recorded before. 
The American Hint Magazine ("American Ornithology”), published by C. K. Reed of Wor- 
cester, Mass., has suspended publication owing to difficulties in the way of securing second-class 
postal rates. 
The Bryant collection of mounted hummingbirds, nearly 200 in number,, was purchased by 
Mr. John E. Thayer, and becomes a part of the Thayer Museum at Lancaster, Mass, 
