Page:Condor16(2).djvu/25

 Mar., 1914 SOME DISCOVERIES IN THE FOREST AT FYFFE 69 transparent shells showed traces of incubation, slight in four and well-marked in two. No other new nests were found during the day except those of the ever abundant Western Robin, Black-headed Grosbeak and gVestern Chipping Spar- .lOW. Photography took up most' of the folloving day (May 20). While engaged in this work along the ditch, I located a nest of the Sierra Junco close to where a fallen log crosses the stream (see fig. 25). The nest held four well-incubated eggs; xvell hidden in mountain misery just above the flowing-water, it was only found by watching the birds from the opposite bank. The nest is rather unusual, being made ahnost entirely of cedar bark, in addition to which are some few weed stems and a lining of fine grasses and animal hair. While using the cam- era later in Webber Canyon, I spied a Western Yellow Warbler (Dendroica lig. 32. EST OF THE THICK-BILLED FOX SPARROW. IT WAS LOCATED IN AN ALMOST IMPENETRABLE THICKIT AND HELD FOUR EGGS. NESTS OF THIS BIRD HAVE PROVEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIND AL- THOUGH THE BIRDS THEMSELVES ARE COMMON IN APPROPRIATE LO- CALITIES. aestiva brewster O weaving its light-colored, hempen, cup-like nest in a small sapling. On May 2 I ran across a very puzzling set of eggs. The nest, three feet np in deer brush, was in every respect a typical one of the Western Chipping Sparrow, being composed of rootlets and grasses and lined with horsehair. 'The four eggs it held, however, were short ovate in shape and unspotted, p&le bluish- green in color. I hastily concealed myself some distance off to vatch, if need the whole afternoon for the owner of these most remarkable looking specimens. The parent was fashionably late in appearing, and when she did so I learned the eggs were simply a unique set of that ever-present species, the Western Chipping Sparrow. On close examination I could just discern on one of the eggs some dim