Vol.lOa7 54]I WALKINSt/AW,Leconte's S2arrow Breeding inMichigan 309

LECONTE'S SPARROW BREEDING IN AND

BY LAWRENCE H. WAL•SHXW

Plates 21, 22 LXTItXMfirst describedLeconte's Sparrow (Passerherbulus caudacutus) from the interior of Georgiain 1790 (1). On May 24, 1843, Audubon(2) collecteda specimenalong the upper ,but it was nearly thirty years before another specimenwas taken (in 1872) by Dr. Linceceumin WashingtonCounty, (3). The followingyear, 1873, Dr. Coues(4) took five specimenson August9, betweenthe Turtle Mountainsand the Mouseor SourisRiver in., and a sixth on September9, at Long CoteauRiver, North Dakota. Sincethat time many ornithologists havecovered the favoritehabitat of the species,and its breedingrange and winter distributionhave been gradually discovered. The A. O. U. Check-listof 1886gave the rangeas "From the plainseast- ward to , So. Carolina, and Florida, and from south to Texas" (5). The 1931Check-llst (6) states:"Breeds in the Canadianand Transitionzones from Great Slave Lake, Mackenzie,southern Saskatche- wan, and Manitoba southward to North Dakota and southern . Winters from southernKansas, southern Missouri, and westernTennessee to Texas, Florida, and the coastof South Carolina, and occasionallyto North Carolina. Casualin , Illinois and New York; accidentalin Idaho, Utah and Colorado." In Canadathe specieshas beenfound breeding in the easternpart of Alberta(7, 8, 9, 10). I foundit onJune 17, 1936,along the western shores of Buffalo Lake only a few miles from Bashawin central Alberta. On a visit to this areaon June20, an undoubtednest of the specieswas found, but heavy rains, which precededthese visits, had floodedthe entire area and destroyedall of the groundnests in the region. It hasalso been found breedingin southernSaskatchewan (8, 9, 11, 12) and southernManitoba (8, 13, 14, 15, 16). Specimenshave been taken as far asHay Riverto the northwest,on the southwesternshores of Great SlaveLake (17) and at the mouth of the AthabascaRiver in northeasternAlberta (17) and in the Battle River regionof centralAlberta (18) duringthe summermonths, whereit undoubtedlybreeds. There are two recordsfrom Ontario,north of LakeSuperior, during the summermonths (19, 20). In the UnitedStates, thespecies has been found breeding in NorthDakota (21, 22), SouthDakota (23),Minnesota (24, 25), twicein northernIllinois (26, 27) (eggs,without adultsor photographs)and now in the extremeeastern part of the Upper T•E ArK, VOL. 54 PLATE 21

LECONTE•S •PARRO• r AT THE NEST 3].0 Wxl.Kil•!snAw, Leconte's Sparrow Breeding inMichigan [•ky

Peninsulaof Michigan. There is a sight recordfrom Montana (Billings) (28) but there are no summerrecords from (29, 30). The South Dakota breedingrecord, so far as I can find, has never been published. Among the many letters written, one reply received from ProfessorW. H. Over, of the Museum of Zoology, University of South Dakota, statedthat therewas in their collectionone set of four eggstaken in Miner County,South Dakota, June 1890 (nodate of monthon specimens), and that the card showed that the female was shot. The nest was concealed in high grasson marshy groundand was collectedby Frank A. Patton. In a more recent letter Professor Over states that Patton found another nest a few years before his death but these specimenscannot now be found. Another record from South Dakota yet without specimenswas made by Agersborgin 1883 (31).

BREEDING IN MICHIGAN Becauseof its secretiveactions and unlmpresslve,insect-like song this sparrow probably has been overlookedin many regions where it may be more or less common. During May, 1934, it was found and a male and femalewere taken at MunuscongState Park in ChippewaCounty, Michigan (32). While visitingthis area in June, 1934, I found Leconte'sSparrow to be one of the commonsparrows about the drier border of the marsh. My observationsduring the few days spent there were as follows:June 8, one; June9, five; June 10, two; June 11, two; June 12, eight; June 13, five and a nest with two eggswhich probably belongedto this species,but were de- sertedby the parent beforeI could collectit; June 14, five (one male col- lected) and June 15, two; thus an averageof nearly four birds observed per day. On a visit to the regionSeptember 1 and 2, 1934,I wasunable to locate the speciesbut sincethe birds are so hard to flush it is possiblethat they were still there. On a visit to the samearea during June, 1935, I did not intend to study the Leconte'sSparrow, but rather the Yellow Rail (Coturnlcopsnovebor- acens'is)which had beenfound nesting there (Gillerr, FrancisC., June 13, 1934). After severaldays spent in extensivesearch with a dogduring which no rails wereto be foundor heard,I decidedto study Virginia Rails (Rallus limicolalimicola) and Leconte'sSparrow. My observationsof the sparrow for 1935 were as follows: June 2, one; June 3, five; June 4, four and nest with five eggs;June 5, three; June 6, ten; June 13, one;June 14, sevenand questionablenest with five eggs;June 15, eight; June 16, five; June 17, six; June 20, one; and June 21, five (onemale collected). In addition to these, I observedtwo singingmales on June 12 one hundredmiles to the west on the Seneymarshes north of Germfask, SchoolcraftCounty, while searching for a nest of the SandhillCrane (Gruscanadensis tabida). Three morebirds Vol.1937 54]J WALKINSHAW,Leconte's Sparrow Breeding in Michigan 311 werelocated at this sameplace on June 19, but I wasunable to collectany, eventhough I spenta goodmany hours in a drenchingrain pacingback and forth waiting for the spasmodic,insect-like song to aid in findingthe birds. If one were found, by the time I approachednear enough,the singerhad disappearedbeneath the rank vegetation;nor was I able later to flushthe bird. It was so cold that the birds were not singingso frequently as on ordinary daysbut only onceor twice in half an hour'stime. It seemslogi- cal that one shouldfind Leconte'sSparrow on these marshesthroughout the Upper Peninsula,where the habitat is grass-or sedge-coveredand wil- low-dotted, since it has been located in the extreme easternpart of the peninsula. Unlike the habitat of fine grassesand sedges,noted by most observers, that at 1VIunuscongBay, wherethe sparrowwas not uncommonduring the summer months, was the drier border of a rush-grownmarsh, where the mostconspicuous plant was Scirpus validus (Vahl). DuringJune, the marsh growth consistedalmost entirely of this rush; massesof old dead rushes strewedthe groundas the past seasonshad left them, with new stalkspro- truding from thesemasses. Intermixed with thesewere many little wil- lows, mostly about one or two feet in height. At Buffalo Lake, Bashaw, Alberta, a very similar rush was the dominantplant but there were no wil- lows of any size on the entire area. In small bunchesamong the Scirpus validusat 1VIunuscong,were to be found somesmall sedgesand additional plants,including Carcx prairia Dewey, Elcoc/•arispalustris (L.) R. and S., Siumcicutaefolium Schrank, Mentha arvensis L., var. canadensis(L.) Briquet, Lycopusamericanus Michl. and Asterpatens Air. in this particular border inhabitedby Leconte'sSparrow (plants analyzedat the Herbarium, Uni- versityof 1VIichigan).This area, only eight or ten yearspreviously, was coveredwith water to a depthof severalfeet. It is borderedby tall, dense grasses,which cometo a definitesharp end where probably the shoreline stood during the period of higher water. In this grass-grownarea the Short-billedMarsh Wren (Cistothorusstellaris) and the Blue-wingedTeal (Querqueduladiscors) were found nesting. Then approachingthe bay in the area of fallen dead rushes with its numerous small willows, where the Leconte'sSparrow was found, occurred also the SpottedSandpiper (Actitis macularia),Wilson's Snipe (Capelladelicata) and the SavannahSparrow (Passerculussandw•chensis savanna). The Yellow Rail (Coturnicopsnove- boracensis)was found at the extremeouter edgeof this area in 1934. To- wardthe riverthe watercovered the entirearea, gradually becoming deeper. Here were found the American Bittern (Botauruslentiginosus), Virginia Rail (Ralluslimicola limicola), Sofa ( Porzanacarolina) and the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaiusp. phoen•ceus).Still farther out were found the Pied- billed Grebe (Podilymbusp. podiceps)and the Coot (Fulica americana). 314 WALKINSHAW,Leconte'8 Sparrow Breeding inMichigan [July[Auk

The weightsof three adult Michigan specimens(Univ. of Michigan Mus. of Zool.,73733, 73734 and 84613)were respectively:- FemMe, May 12, 1934 (T. D. Hinshaw)...... 13.1 graxns Male, May 11, 1934 (R. E. Olsen)...... 12.3 grams Male, June 21, 1935 (L. H. W.) ...... 12.8 grams This givesan average12.7 grams. The only other Michiganspecimens, at that time,--male, June14, 1934(L. H. W.), Univ. of Michigan,84614, and male, July 29, 1934 (M. M. Peet), the last in Dr. Peet's collection,--were not weighed. NESTING ACTIVITIES During the many hoursspent in the blind, at no time did I observewhat I consideredthe male at the nest,whether incubating, feeding or brooding. He wasalways singing in the neighborhoodand wouldoccasionally fly over the blind, uttering a low call. The female incubated, facing either to the north or to the south, the directionin whichthe rushesextended over the nest. Sincethe markings on the back extendalong the length,this produceda closerharmony with the rushes. A few of the notes taken at the blind are as follows :- June 5, 2 p.m., enteredblind. 2.10 p.m., adult couldbe heard coming throughthe rushes,and at last cameinto sight only three feet away, mov- ing mouse-likeup from underneaththe vegetationon to the nest. She was very nervous,leaving and returning severaltimes beforesettling down on the eggs. When sitting on the nest, she was so far down that she could barely be seen. She left the nest severaltimes duringthe afternoonso that about twenty exposureswere made, nor did she pay the least attention to any of the noisesmade in cameraoperation inside the blind. The male sangonly four times between2 and 3 p.m., then onceat 3.05, after whichhe wasnot heardagain until 4.10, just as I wasleaving the blind. Bobolinkssang all around the blind, two snipeswinnowed overhead and continuedlong after dark. A pair of Killdeerstried to lead a thieving Crow from the neighborhoodof their youngwhich I had found the previousday only a short distanceaway. The adult Leconte'sSparrows seemed inter- estedin this sameCrow and left the nest with the eggsexposed, returning soonafter the Crow had gone. SavannahSparrows were singingnearer the edgeof the marsh. The femalealmost invariably sat with her body in the directionthe rushes extended, thus making her markings resemblethem so closelythat one would think she were part of the group. She always moved about when settlingon the eggsand occasionallyturned them with her bill. 3.20 p.m., rain; sheleft nestat 3.28 and did not returnuntil 3.45. 'Vol.1937 54]J WALKINSHAW,Leconte' s•parrow Breedirql in Michigan 311 were locatedat this sameplace on June 19, but I was unableto collectany, even thoughI spenta goodmany hoursin a drenchingrain pacingback and forth waitingfor the spasmodic,insect-like song to aid in findingthe birds. If one werefound, by the time I approachednear enough,the singerhad disappearedbeneath the rank vegetation;nor was I able later to flush the bird. It was so cold that the birds were not singingso frequently as on ordinary daysbut only onceor twice in half an hour'stime. It seemslogi- cal that one shouldfind Leconte'sSparrow on thesemarshes throughout the Upper Peninsula,where the habitat is grass-or sedge-coveredand wil- low-dotted,since it has been locatedin the extremeeastern part of the peninsula. Unlike the habitat of fine grassesand sedges,noted by most observers, that at MunuscongBay, wherethe sparrowwas not uncommonduring the summermonths, was the drier border of a rush-grownmarsh, where the mostconspicuous plant was Seirpus validus (Vahl). DuringJune, the marsh growth consistedalmost entirely of this rush; massesof old dead rushes strewedthe groundas the past seasonshad left them, with new stalkspro- truding from these masses. Intermixed with thesewere many little wil- lows, mostly about one or two feet in height. At Buffalo Lake, Bashaw, Alberta, a very similarrush was the dominantplant but therewere no wil- lowsof any sizeon the entire area. In small bunchesamong the Seirpus validusat Munuscong,were to be found somesmall sedgesand additional plants,including Carex prairia Dewey, Eleoeharispalustris (L.) R. and S., Sium eieutaefollumSchrank, Mentha arvensls L., vat. eanadensls(L.) Briquet, Lyeopusamerieanus Michl. and Asterpatens Air. in this particularborder inhabitedby Leconte'sSparrow (plants analyzed at the Herbarium, Uni- versityof Michigan). This area, only eight or ten yearspreviously, was coveredwith water to a depth of severalfeet. It is borderedby tall, dense grasses,which cometo a definitesharp end whereprobably the shoreline stood during the period of higher water. In this grass-grownarea the Short-billedMarsh Wren (Cistothoru•stellaris) and the Blue-wingedTeal (Querqueduladlseors) were found nesting. Then approachingthe bay in the area of fallen dead rusheswith its numerous small willows, where the Leconte'sSparrow was found, occurred also the SpottedSandpiper (Aetltls maeularia),Wilson's Snipe (Capelladelleata) and the SavannahSparrow (Passereulussandwiehensis savanna). The Yellow Rail (Coturnieopsnove- boraeensls)was found at the extremeouter edgeof this area in 1934. To- ward the riverthe water coveredthe entirearea, gradually becoming deeper. Here were found the AmericanBittern (Botauru•lentiginosus), Virginia Rail (Ralluslimieola limieola), Sofa ( Porzanaearollna) and the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaiusp. phoenieeus).Still farther out were found the Pied- billedGrebe ( Podilymbus p. podieeps)and the Coot (Fulieaamericana). 314 WiLKINsiw,Leconte' sSparrow Breeding inMichigan [July[-Auk

The weightsof three adult Michigan specimens(Univ. of Michigan Mus. of Zool., 73733,73734 and 84613)were respectively:- FemMe, May 12, 1934 (T. D. Hinshaw)...... 13.1 grams Male, May 11, 1934 (R. E. Olsen)...... 12.3 grams Male, June 21, 1935 (L. H. W.) ...... 12.8 grams This givesan average12.7 grams. The only other Michigan specimens,at that time,--male, June14, 1934(L. H. W.), Univ. of Michigan,84614, and male, July 29, 1934 0Vi. M. Peet), the last in Dr. Peet's collection,--were not weighed. NrsT•G AcT•w•rs During the many hoursspent in the blind, at no time did I observewhat I consideredthe male at the nest,whether incubating, feeding or brooding. He was alwayssinging in the neighborhoodand would occasionallyfly over the blind, uttering a low call. The female incubated,facing either to the north or to the south, the direction in which the rushesextended over the nest. Since the markings on the back extend along the length, this produceda closerharmony with the rushes. A few of the notes taken at the blind are as follows:- June 5, 2 p.m., enteredblind. 2.10 p.m., adult couldbe heard coming throughthe rushes,and at last cameinto sight only three feet away, mov- ing mouse-likeup from underneaththe vegetationon to the nest. Shewas very nervous,leaving and returning severaltimes before settling down on the eggs. When sitting on the nest, she was so far down that she could barely be seen. She left the nest severaltimes during the afternoonso that about twenty exposureswere made, nor did she pay the least attention to any of the noisesmade in cameraoperation inside the blind. The male sangonly four times between2 and 3 p.m., then onceat 3.05, after which he was not heardagain until 4.10, just as I was leavingthe blind. Bobolinkssang all around the blind, two snipeswinnowed overhead and continuedlong after dark. A pair of Killdeerstried to lead a thievingCrow from the neighborhoodof their young which I had found the previousday only a short distanceaway. The adult Leconte'sSparrows seemed inter- ested in this same Crow and left the nest with the eggsexposed, returning soon after the Crow had gone. Savannah Sparrowswere singing nearer the edgeof the marsh. Thefemale almost invariably sat with her body in thedirection the rushes extended,thus making her markings resemblethem so closelythat one would think she were part of the group. She always moved about when settlingon the eggsand occasionallyturned them with her bill. 3.20 p.m., rain; sheleft nestat 3.28 and did not return until 3.45. Vol.1937 54]J WALKINSHAW,Leconte' sSparrow Breeding in Michigan 315

At 4.10 p.m., I coveredthe open spot toward the blind and left her to the task of incubation. The thermometerregistered down in the forties that afternoon. June I7, I935, II.15 a.m., enteredblind; femaledid not return for twenty minutes. Male startedsinging near the blind (200feet). Femalefed young twice duringthe next twenty minutes,then againat 11.55when she brooded them. 12 m., as the male was singing,I was surprisedto hear the female sud- denly burst forth with a loud ehit-ehit-t-t-t-t. Her bill openedand closed rapidly as shedid this. I2.05 p. vt., female left the nest. I2.08 p. vt., femalereturned without food; left almostimmediately. I2. I2 p. vt., femalefed youngsome small insect; brooded. 12.25 p. vt., female left the nest; immediatelyreturned and brooded. I2.38 p. vt., femaleleft to return immediatelyand feed young;removed excrementand swallowedit; brooded. Male singing. I2.45 p. vt., she walked around the blind inspecting it; returned at I2.47 p. vt., brooded. A few minuteslater a SavannahSparrow landed on the blind and sang; she raised her head and nervouslyglanced in that direction but did not leave. 12.55 p. vt., femaledashed out a few feet and caughtan insectwhich she fed oneof the young;brooded. 1.00 p. vt., just an hour to the minute, sherepeated the samesong chit- chit-t-t-t,as the male sangabout a hundredyards distant; sheleft the nest a few secondslater. Youngedged over out of the suninto a shadypart of the nest,even though it wasa very coolday. (Ordinarilythere would have beenlittle light to reachthem but I had exposedmore than half of the nest for photography.) Femalein leavinghopped along on the fallenvegetation for about twenty feet, usuallyunderneath the topmostlayer beforeflying. Sometimesshe did not fly. 1.05 p. vt., femaleback without food. 1.06 p. vt., sheleft nest. 1.14 p. vt., female back with small insectsand fed young;removed and swallowed excrement. 1.2I p. vt., femaleoff; inspectedblind; right back. 1.45 p. m., femaleoff; walked ten yards then flew. 1.55 p. m., back and fed youngsome small insects. 2.16p. vt., femaleoff; right back. 2.20 p. vt., female off; ate somethingherself. 2.30 p. vt., female off; swallowedexcrement. 2.4op. vt., femaleoff, right back; 2.46 p. vt., off again;2.48 p. vt., fed young. 316 W•LK•Nsn•w,Leconte' sSparrow Breeding in Michigan [Auk[July

SONG The songof the Leconte'sSparrow is very unimpressive,resembling more the songof someinsect than that of a bird. It hasbeen described by many authors. Seton, in 'The Birds of Manitoba' (1890, p 596) describesthe songas "a tiny, husky, doublenote 'reese-reese',so thin a soundand so creaky that I believeit is usually attributed to a grasshopper." Roberts, in the 'Birds of Minnesota'(1932, 2: 393) givesBreckenrldge's impression of the song: "The Leconte's songbegins with one short, barely audible, squeakynote, followedby a fine high, insect-likebuzz similarto [that of] the GrasshopperSparrow and about one secondin duration; a tiny, hardly audible'chip' terminates the effort" (,June 23,1928). Far- ley,in the 'Birdsof the Battle River Region'(1932, p. 57)says:"Its softlisp- ing note, 'tzc', uttered with monotonousfrequency as the bird clingsto a tall grassstem, soundsmore like an insectthan that of a bird." The songwhen near at hand to me soundsllke z-z-z-buzzzz,and lastsby the stop-watch0.015 of a minute in duration, which is approximatelyone secondas stated by Breckenridge. The first part of the song reachesits shrillestjust at the close,when it can be heard for somedistance. It is much higherpitched than that of the SavannahSparrow, heard in the same wet meadows,yet the songof the Savannahlasts nearly three times as long. Often, when in the blind, anothersong was heard, sometimesalone, againpreceding the regularinsect-like buzz. This songhas been described by Peabody (24) as "a dry, creaky e'elree-e'elree-e'clrce-e'elree-."He adds: "This notemust be rarelyindulged in, asI recallhaving heard it but twice." It is not uttered nearly as often as the other more commonsong. This song resemblesa similar one of the GrasshopperSparrow (Ammodramus savannarumaustralis).. and like the songof the latter, it is more often fol- lowedby the regularbuzzing song. The song,both in Michigan and Alberta, was uttered from the top or near the top of somedead rush but, if one approached,the singerdisap- pearedso quickly that it wasseldom seen. If onepressed too close,the bird suddenlydarted abovethe rushesfor a short distance,to disappearamong the massesof dead Stirpus. Very seldomhave I observedthe bird utter the songmore than a foot from the ground. Once,while crossingnear the sqpposednesting-site, a male suddenlyflew into the air with quivering wings, and while maintaining a stationary position, uttered his regular song,then droppedagain to the dead rushes. The procedurewas much like the one often givenby the Marsh Wren (Telmatodytespalustris dissa•ptus). Although I was not awake all of the hours of darkness,the male was heardto singas earlyas 3 a.m. and aslate as 10.30p.m., long after dark herein Michigan. From my cabindoor I couldeasily hear it. For a period Tits. Aux, VOL. •4 PLATE 22

LECONTE•S SPARROW AT THE NEST Vol.1937 54]J WALKI•ISHAW,Leconie's Sparrow Breeding in Michigan 317 of fifteenminutes from 10 to 10.15p.m. on June 16, 1935,I timed his songs with a stop-watchand he repeatedthe songat the rate of ten times per minute, exceptingfor one minute when it was repeated nine times. At dawn it wasrepeated at about this samerate. For thirty minutesbetween 1.45 and 2.15 p.m., on June 17, it was repeated the following number of timesper minute: 7, 6, 6, 7, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 5, 6, 5, 0, 0, 2, 1, 0, 5, 5, 0, 7, 4, 0, 0 and 0. This was at about the regular rate for the middle of the day and one will note that the frequencywas rather variable. In central Alberta the rate correspondedwith that in Michiganbut daylightis much longerthere during the nestingseason. The alarm note was a chip,sometimes single, but more often double,and if one were near the nest, it becamea very rapid chip-chip-chip-chip-chip, then repeated. This was continueduntil the intruder left the vicinity of the nest. Anothercall heardfrom the blind as the femaleapproached the nest was a very low, barely audible, z-z-zz-z. The male uttered this same call at one time when he circledover the nest and returnedto his singing perch. Then there was the songuttered twice on June 17, 1935, by the fe- male on the nest as the male sangnearby. This songwas chlt-chit-t-t-t-t and I have heard the GrasshopperSparrow, both male and female,utter a song almostidentical at the nest in southernMichigan (July, 1935).

SUMMARY Leconte'sSparrow in summer,is a bird of the plains,the bordersof grassy or rush-grownmarshes from the southernshores of Great Slave Lake in the northwestof Canada, from the wet grassymeadows of entire easternAl- berta, from southernSaskatchewan, Moose Mountain, Hudson Bay Junc- tion and Churchill River, southward,and from southernManitoba, Lake Winnlpegosis,southward and eastwardto the extremeeastern part of the Upper Peninsulaof Michigan, west throughMinnesota to both North and South Dakota; possiblyoccasional in Montana, Ontario, Wisconsinand northern Illinois. In migrationstragglers occur as far westas Idaho (33), Colorado(34, 35) and Utah (36). In the eastfrom Ohio (37, andan October,1936, invasion not as yet published;see this issueof 'The Auk' postea), southernMichigan (October,1936, invasion same as Ohio,postea), Toronto, Ontario (38), and at Ithaca, New York (39). The A. O. U. Check-llstof 1931gives in full the winter range. Summaryof the bibliographyup to 1900 waspublished in Ridgway's 'Birds of North and Middle America' (40). Cooke (41) has summarized the migrationrecords up to 1910. In studyinga nestin northernMichigan, the incubationperiod was found to be at leastthirteen days. The femalewas observed to takesole responsi- 318 WALKINSHAW,Leconle's Sparrow Breeding inMichigan [July[Auk bility during incubation,brooding and feeding. The male sangduring all of the daylighthours, and a great deal duringthe night, singingwith greater zest during the darker hours. The songis rather insect-likeand in be- havior the birds are rather mouse-like. Thanksfor the manyanswers to lettersmust be givento JohnW. Aldrich, Arthur C. Bent, Frank S. Farley, Edward R. Ford, Herbert•Friedmann, Albert Ganlet, O. J. Groinroe,O. J. Libby, W. H. Over, JamesL. Peters, Russell Reid, Thomas S. Roberts, Witmet Stone, James G. Suthard, Mil- ton Trautman, Winton Weydemeyer and Gordon Wilson. Thanks are alsodue to Drs. JosselynVan Tyne and Max M. Peet for opportunityto studyspecimens and to Dr.SVan Tyne for aid in determiningthe eggcolor as well as help in useof the library.

REFERENCES CITED 1. LATHAM,JOHN. Index ornithologicus,etc. 8vo, London,1: 459, 1790. 2. AUDUBON,JOHN J. The birds of America. 8vo, ed. 7: 338, 1843. 3. BAIRD,S. 17.,BREWER• T. M., ANDRIDGWAY, R. A history of North American birds. Land birds, 1: 552, 1874. 4. COUES,ELLIOTT. Birdsof the Northwest:a hand-bookof the ornithologyof the region drained by the Missouri River and its tributaries. U.S. Geol. Surv. Terr., Misc. Publ. no. 3, p. 134, 1874. 5. A. O, U, CHECK-LISTOF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 8VO,New York, p. 268, 1886. 6. A. O. U. CHECK-LISTOF NORTH AMEmCANBIRDS, ed. 4. 8vo, Lancaster, Penna., p. 337, 1931. 7. FRIEDMANN,HERBERT. Further additionsto the list of birds victimizedby the Cowbird. WilsonBull., 46: 111, 1934. (Nest foundby A. H. Hendersonin Alberta.) 8. MACOUN,JOHN, AND MACOUN, JAMES M. Catalogueof Canadianbirds. 8vo, Dept. of Mines, Geol. Surv. Canada,Ottawa, no. 973, p. 504, 1909. 9. PETERS,JAMES L. Letter of January 21, 1936. Egg setsin Museumof Com- parative Zoologyare: one in general collection,no. 7065, taken by Waiter Raine at BowdenLake, Alberta, and onein the JohnE. Thayer collection,no. 11412, taken by Walter Raine at CrescentLake, Assiniboia. 10. ARNOLD,EDWARD A. A short summerouting in Newfoundland,1911. Auk, 29: 72, 1912. (Mentions taking eggsof Leconte'sSparrow in Alberta.) 11. MITCHELL,H. HEDLEY. Catalogueof the birds of . Canadian Field-Nat., 38: 113, 1924. 12. FERRY,JOIIN F. Birds observedin Saskatchewanduring the summerof 1909. Auk, 27: 185-204, 1910. (Two nests at Prince Albert.) 13. SETON,ERNEST E. T. Manitoban notes. Auk, 2: 23, 1885. (Describesfirst nest of speciesto be found.) 14. THoMrsoN,ERNEST E. (SETON). The birds of Manitoba. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 13: 596, 1891. 15. FRIEDMANN,HERBERT. Letters, 1936, listing eggsets in •J. S. Nat. Mus.: four eggs,Raeburn, Manitoba, June6, 1894,E. Arnold; two eggs,St. Mark's Lake, Manitoba, June12, 1894,W. Raine; two eggs,Shoal Lake, Manitoba, June10, 1894, W. Raine; five eggsnear Raeburn, Manitoba, July 21, 1893, W. Raine; five eggs,in the Bent Collection,Lake Wampegesis,Manitoba, June 2, 1923, Vol.1937 541J WALKINSHAW,Leconte's Sparrow Breeding in Michigan 319

F. S. Hersey; five eggs,Lake Winnipegosis,Manitoba, June 1, 1913, A. C. Bent, in the Bent Collection. 16. B•NT, ARTUCRC. Letter, 1936, concerninglast nest mentionedabove. Female was shot leaving the nest; the skin is in the Museum of ComparativeZo51ogy, Cambridge,Massachusetts. 17. ANDrRSO•, R. M. Northward range of Ammodramuslecontei. Auk, •.6: 80, 1909. (May 22, 1908, specimenfrom delta of AthabascaRiver; alsomentions specimenfrom Hay River, southshore of Great Slave Lake, June 23, 1908.) 18. FARLrV, FRA•r• L. Birds of Battle River region of central Alberta. 8vo, Edmonton, Alberta, p. 57, July, 1932. 19. •KAELZ,WA•TER. Some bird records for the Lake Superior region of Ontario. Canadian Field-Nat., 3?: 118, 1923. (Three specimens,1921 and 1922, from regionnorth and west of Lake Superior;one, July 27, 1922, young female, in University of Michigan Museum of Zoology,No. 54155.) 20. FARGO,WI•AM G., AND TRA•AN, Mm•oN B. Late summer bird notes alongthe upper MichipicotenRiver, Ontario. CanadianField-Nat., 44: 30- 33, 1930. 21. Jr•s•, J.K. Notes on the nesting birds of Wahpeton, North Dakota. Auk, 35: 347, 1918. 22. WooD, NORMA• A. A preliminary survey of the bird life of North Dakota. Misc. Publ. Univ. Michigan Mus. Zool., no. 10, p. 62, pl. 6, fig. 1, 1923. 23. OvsR, W.H. Letter, 1936, on breedingin Miner County, South Dakota; speci- mensof eggsand female collectedJune, 1890, by F. Patton. 24. PsAson¾,P.B. Nesting habits of Leconte'sSparrow. Auk, 18: 129-134, pl. 3, 1901. 25. RoRrR?s, TuouAs S. The birds of Minnesota. 8vo, Minneapolis, •.: 391-393, 1932. (Summarizesall breedingrecords for Minnesota.) 26. Assort, GsRARnA. Leconte'sSparrow at home near Chicago. Wilson Bull., 9.3: 53-54, 1911. 27. FORD,EDWARD R., SA•SORN,COL• C., A•D CocRss•, C. B•R. Birds of the Chicago•rea. Programof Activities, ChicagoAcad. Sci., 5: 69-70, 1934. 28. Jolts, LX•eDS,AN• DAwson, W. Lro•. A summerreconnaissance in the West. Wilson Bull., no. 33 (vol. 12), p. 31, 1900. 29. I

39. A•aES,J.H. Rare birds taken in Toronto and vicinity. Auk, 14: 411, 1897. (At Toronto, Ontario, May 5, 1897.) 40. RIDGWAY,ROBERT. Birds of North and Middle America. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., no. 50, pt. 1, p. 224-226, 1900. 41. COOKE,W. W. The migration of North American sparrows. Bird-Lore, 12: 14-15, 1910. 1421 West Michigan Ave., Battle Creek,Michigan