Page:Condor12(5).djvu/23

 Sept., 1910 NESTING OF THE GRAY-HEADED JUNCO 165 voiced its anxiety with the peculiar metallic junco chirp, altho seldo.m allowing itself to be seen. Within a hundred yards of the first nest another bird was flusht from a cun- ningly concealed nest, deeply sunken in the ground among the dense branches at the base of a small bush. It also contained four eggs, and the parent upon flushing immediately disappeared and was seen no more. Proceding around the lake, a third bird was flusht from a nest bilt in the center of a small shrub, but not nearly as well concealed as the other two. This nest contained two eggs and two freshly hatcht youngtiny, wriggling, pinkish little creatures irregularly covered with very fine grayish down. As it was raining and the temperature entirely too low for comfort'I markt the nests and sought shelter. On my return, a couple of hours later, the parent of the first nest found stayed on the eggs until we almost toucht her, and so perfect was the concealment of the nest and the protective coloration of the bird, that altho we knew exactly where to look, both were absolutely invisible to the eye at arm's length. In all it was the most perfectly concealed nest I have ever seen. The birds on the other two nests, however, flusht much more wildly than on our first visit and were 'not so demonstrative. After photographing the nests, the two containing eggs were collected. They are practically identical in size and construction, being strongly and compactly bilt of dried grass, well rimmed, deeply cupt and lined with finer dried grass and a scant amount of fine hair. They are somewhat longer than wide and measure as follows: Outside, length 43 .inche,. width 33 inches, depth 2 inches; inside, long diameter 2 inches, short diameter 2 inches, depth lX inches. The two sets of eggs exhibit a fine variation in coloration and marking. One set has a ground color of light clay color with a slightly bluish tinge, lightly markt with minute and very subdued spots of reddish brown. Two of the eggs are evenly spotted over the entire surface, while on the remaining two the spots are partially confined to the larger ends. The other set has a much lighter color--almost pure white--clearly and boldly spotted and blotcht with clear reddish brown, the markings being hevier and more clearly defined around the larger ends. The heviest markt egg of this set is almost identical in coloration and marking with a set of Field Sparrows' eggs in my Collection. The two sets are remarkably uniform in size, and average .75X.57 inches. ' NOTES ON REGURGITATION By HARRIET WILLIAMS MYERS [_IAVING been led to believe, thru reading, that for the first few days, practi- _1 cally all birds feed their young by regurgitation, I have been surprized at the number of birds'I have observed who do not use this method of feeding, but rather from the very beginning feed insects directly to their yotmg. In March, 1909, a pair of Song Sparrows (./FJelospiza m. cooperi) nested in the pampas grass in my yard, giving me an opportunity of daily observation. On the seventh of March the eggs hatcht and I stationed myself to take feeding record. At 8:50 the female left the nest and began searching about in the grass and weeds.. In one minute she returned to the nest carrying a visible object in her bill which