< Page:Condor9(6).djvu
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THE CONDOR Vo, IX.

yards from the shore of Barr Lake, a body of water covering about 1000 acres, but was on ground that was always dr)', and of the same nature as the prairie land farther removed from the water. The female bird after flushing, flew about 50 yards and lit on a bunch of soap- weed, where it stayed while the nest was being examined. It did not exhibit any particular uneasiness further than an occasional chirp, and made no demonstration. The four pure white eggs immediately attracted our attention and as we did not have a collecting gun with us at the time we left the nest intending to return and collect}the birds. In the afternoon we returned and carefully approached the nest, but the female must have heard us and slipped away thru the thick brush, as she was not on the nest nor did we catch sight of

her. Upon our return, 

about an hour later, the bird flushed from between us when we were within two feet of her. During all three of our visits to the nest we had occasionally t ' heard the delightfully sweet, liquid, tho subdued

' song of the male, but had 

not seen him; but as the  female left the nest she flew ' directly to the soapweed  mentioned before, and was there joined by the male. Between our first and . second visits reference to jg- ' -- text books had satisfied us  that the bird could be no .. other than the Cassin Spar- _  row (Peuccea cassni) and consequently a new breed- x ing record for the state and the second record of the species occurring within the state boundaries. It SITE (AT X) OF CASSIN SPARROW'S NI:ST, NIAR DENVER, COLORAI)O was therefore with a mixed feeling of regret and exul- tation that we collected the two birds, photographed and then removed the nest and eggs, thus putting an end to the pretty family picture. The eggs, as has been mentioned, were pure crystalline white with an un- usually high polish for sparrow's eggs, more pointed than is usual for eggs of this family, and measure .76x.55, .81x.58, .77x.57 and .79x.57 inches. On blowing, two proved to be perfectly fresh and two showed velD' slight blood veins. Mr. H. G. Smith, who prepared the birds, states that both were in badly worn plumage, and the abdomens of both birds were entirely bare of feathers, a fact which might

possibly indicate that this was a second set,

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