746 
BIRDS OF NEW MEXICO 
Truchas Peak. In 1904 on August 20-25, it was found at 10,700 feet in the Costilla 
Valley, and in 1900 to 10,500 feet on Santa Clara Peak (Bailey). 
Although Merrill has seen them at Mesilla Park from October to May, most of 
them leave New Mexico for the winter, the greater number of migrants departing 
early in October. [Four were noted October 1, 1916, at White Water Creek (Skin¬ 
ner).] Some late dates are October 9, 1905, Datil Mountains (Hollister); October 
8, 1903, Manzano Mountains (Gaut); October 9, 1906, near Gallo Spring a few miles 
northwest of Old Fort Tularosa and the next day at the Fort itself (Bailey); July 
28-October 24, 1913, along the foothills and Red River, Colfax County (Kalmbach). 
An unusually late bird was seen, November 10, 1906, near Silver City (Bailey). 
In spring they return early, and were first seen at Mesilla Park, February 27 
1903 (Ford); at Fort Webster March 4 (Henry); at Silver City March S, 1884 (Marsh); 
at Chloride April 3, 1915 (Ligon), and at Pecos, April 25, 1900 (Birtwell).—W. W. 
Cooke. 
Nest. —In trees or bushes; made of small sticks and dried grass stems and lined 
with horsehair, cow hair, or rootlets. Eggs: 3 to 5, light greenish blue, speckled 
chiefly around the larger end with black and brown. 
Food. —Animal matter, consisting of insects and an occasional spider, 38 per 
cent; vegetable matter, 62 per cent. Only 1 per cent of the insect food consists of 
useful insects, while more than 25 per cent is made up of insect pests including 
cankerworms, brown-tail moth, tent, and gipsy caterpillars, army worms, forest 
tent caterpillars, cabbage worms, pea lice, leaf beetles, alfalfa weevils, and grass¬ 
hoppers. [From July 28 to October 24, in Colfax County, 39 per cent was grass¬ 
hoppers (Kalmbach).] Of its vegetable food only 4 per cent is grain (largely stubble 
field oats), while 40 per cent is weed seed, including such pests as crab grass and rag¬ 
weed. 
General Habits. —Near Santa Rosa, a Western Chipping Sparrow 
that I found on her nest in a juniper about six feet from the 
ground was so tame, or so brave, that she would not leave, although 
in trying to make sure of her white superciliary and rufous cap I had 
to move the branches around her. Near Glorieta we found a nest in a 
bushy cottonwood, and two other nests, found by Mr. Bailey at the 
head of the Rio Mimbres, were about two feet from the ground in pine 
and juniper respectively, made of rootlets as well as grass, with the 
usual hair lining. 
At 11,000 feet near Pecos Baldy on August 3, 1903, wanderers 
or migrants were common in the mountain meadows, and on August 11, 
when several were seen at timberline on Truchas at 12,300 feet, they 
were in company with Arctic Bluebirds and Red-shafted Flickers. On 
the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in September the Chipping Sparrows 
were frequently flushed in driving among the scrub oaks or through the 
open yellow pine parks. But, while they are encountered at various 
times of the year in the wooded hills and even at remote timberline, 
they readily fall into the familiar ways of the eastern bird, making 
themselves at home in gardens and orchards. Wherever found their 
monotonous but contented trill easily places them. 
In addition to this song and their usual call note, a thin chip, they 
have in common with other birds which migrate at night—a note 
