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BULLETIN OF THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 10 7 species until July ?o of the present difference in altitude. Mr. F. C. W/l- year, when I took a fine set of four lard found a nest of this species in ?897 eggs, the nest being placed in a pine saddled on a large limb in a pine tree sapling and saddled on to a large limb thirty feet from the ground. This nest about six feet out from the trunk of the rested against the trunk of the tree and tree and thirty feet from the ground. in climbing, Mr. Willard put his hand Elevation, 9,ooo feet. This nest and over the nest,--not knowing it was eggs do not differ from those I found in there--and unfortunately crushed the ?896 excepting that the nesting mater- eggs. ial is a little different, owing to the I Northern Record for the Black-chinned Sparrow. ( Spizella a?ri?ulars.) BY D. A. COIrlEN? ALAMEDA, CAL. [Read before the Northern Division of the Cooper Orn. Club, Sept. 2, ?899.] N May 27, ?899 while working ties,--a m/nature ravine, shaded by a my way through the low, rather few willow, small bay trees and burr sparse, black sage covering a oaks, that had been a rill in the rainy knoll in the Coast Range Mountains in season, losing its way a hundred yards Alameda county, near the line of Con- farther down the slope to a grassy hill- tra Costa county, I observed a small side above the thick brush along the bird alight in one of the bushes, but be- creek, while on each side of the fore I could raise the gun it had hidden ravine was mixed vegetation character- itself amongst the cover. During that istie of the richer soils, also an occasion- brief space I caught a glimpse of the al sage bush and rock straggling from black chin and wondering what the the rugged territory higher up. One strange bird could be, decided it was or two patches of wild blackberry possibly Bell's Sparrow (Mmphispiza vines, beds of bracken, clumps of lu- bell/). Efforts to flush it or catch sight pine and thistles and mixed brush of it again were unavailing. About where a tall, coarse perennial grass two miles farther along the rocky hills, flourished, were diligently searched descending front a rocky ledge and bar- without sign or note of a bird of any ren soil with a sparse growth of sage sort. and scrub oak to where the more fertile Mr. W. Otto Emerson identified the soilsupported a healthier and more speci?nen as the Blaek-ehinnedSparrow abundant growth of vegetation, I had (Spizella atrcularis). It measured in just shot a Lazuli Bunting on a gentle inches 5.9o; 7.88; 2.6o; 2.8o. Bill, pink- incline down to the canon. Here and ish-brown; /rides, brown. It was a there was a small rock and on one of male in rather worn plumage and pos- them I sat for a brief rest when a bird sibly breeding close to the spot where song, very much like that of the Lazuli it was taken as this was the best site as Bunting in tone aud duration, met my to varied topography for its size of any ear. for miles. The bird's song and bold ae- The singer had no time to repeat as t/OhS indicated its mate was nesting in he hopped about the top of a tallshrub, the vicinity if similar actions of other because a charge of dust shot ended the small birds are taken into account. life of the individual which I could not Mr. Belding's "Land Birds of the Pa- clearly recognize in the strong light. c/fie District" quotes on this sparrow as Upon p/eking up a cleanly-killed speci- follows, in part:--"Santa Aria Plains, men I knew it to be akin to the bird I Los Angeles Co., Dee. ?o-? 4, ?884, rath- had just previously seen, and judging er eolnmon--F. E. Blaisdell. San Bern- it to be a male because of its song, I ardino, F. Stephens, tolerably common; searched for the female or for the nest. breeds in the foothills. Colton, April Here was an ideal place for the nest, 28, ?884, a fine male shot by R. B. Her- both sun and shade in varied quant/- ton. April 29, male shot by Chas. W.