Nov., t9o6 [ SHE BELL SPARROW I53 xvell 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 spedes 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 blotehings are internfixed 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 nmrkings. 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 .gcie.tce for October 26, ?9?5, announces the death of a condor belonging to the New York Zoological Park and valued at $3oO. 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 tile 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. Bowleg 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 Eagle, 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 IV 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 tile 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 thxt he has just finished Bohol, getting I4o species of birds, where there had been only 55 recorded before. The Minerican Bird A/ag?azine (?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 o} the Theyet Museum at Lancaster, Mass t
