168 Nesting Time of Birds. [ZOE 
nesting time. The species apparently does not commence to breed 
regularly until early in April, from which time on until the latter 
part of the month fresh eggs may be looked for. I am uncertain 
whether or not the bird lays a second set, as data on this point 
is lacking, but fresh eggs of the closely allied Allen’s humming- 
bird ( Trochilus allent) are recorded as late as May 25, 1880, from 
which it seems not improbable that both species may raise a sec- 
ond brood. This record, however, may be an exceptional one, 
accounted for by the phenomenally heavy rainfall in the spring 
of that year, 8.46 inches having fallen, against an average of 2.478, 
while the average temperature was much lower than usual. 
Anna’s hummingbird (7yochilus anna), which is a resident 
species, is another early breeder, having been recorded nesting 
even in January* and Feburary. Our earliest records from this 
vicinity, however, are about the middle of March. From this 
time on fresh eggs may be found until the early part of June, a 
second brood being raised during that or the preceding month. 
The latest date on which fresh eggs have been found is June 7, 
1888, but Mr. Bryant records a set containing large embryos on 
June 10, 1881. 
Another tiny breeder of March is the California bush-tit ( Psaltri- 
parus minimus californicus), which begins the construction of its 
elaborate pendulous nest early in the month. The earliest set ot 
eggs recorded was taken March 16, 1881, which month, as pre- 
viously noted, was especially favorable for early records. From 
the twentieth of the month, however, to early in April, the breed- 
ing season of this species is at its height, from which time it rap- 
idly declines and by the middle of the month nearly all have young. 
In the latter part of May a second brood is sometimes raised, the 
latest date being May 28, 1880, but in this case as in the one noted 
above, the weather very probably retarded the period of nidifica- 
tion. 
The plain titmouse ( Parus inornatus ), like the preceding, a resi- 
dent species, also commences nidification in March, the earliest 
date being March 27, 1879. The data in hand shows no evidence 
of a second brood being raised, the latest date on which fresh eggs 
were taken being April 19, 1879. 
*Mr. A. M. Ingersoll found a nest at Oakland, January 14, with eggs about to 
hatch. 
