\OL. III.] JVotes from Alameda County. _ 115 



long, very chunky, and was taken from a little cavity in the extreme 

 tip or distal end of the fruit. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



Pronuba (?) larvae. What are undoubtedly larvae of a species of 

 Pronuba were found May 15, 1891, in pods of Y. 7nacrocarpaQ). 

 Four pods, picked May 10, showed two infested. A whitish lepi- 

 dopterous larva was found eating through the white seeds, usually 

 in the stem or proximal end of the fruit. Three were found in one 

 pod, two being in the same tier of seeds. Out of 21 pods ot this 

 Yucca picked May 15, only five were found infested. Some pods 

 contained several larvae, in one case located near the tip or blossom 

 end. Nine large larvae, averaging over 10 mm. in length, and two 

 small ones about 5 mm. long, were extracted from these pods (25 

 pods). 



DIPTERA. 



A small black acalyptrate muscid, apparently belonging in or near 

 the family Phycodromidae, is very abundant on the flowers of Yucca 

 inacrocarpaQ) throughout its blooming period. In fact this fly is 

 about the only insect to be found plentifully in the flowers through 

 the day, so far as I have seen. Specimens were collected April 4, 

 1891. It is about 3 to 3.5 mm. long (body length), while the wings 

 are 3.5 to 4 mm. long. 



Sarcophaga spp. I have also noticed, in April and May, several 

 species of Sarcophaga frequenting the flowers of this Yucca in the 

 day time. They are often quite numerous on and about the flowers, 

 but doubtless have nothing to do with the fertilization of the latter. 



BIRD NOTES FROM ALAMEDA COUNTY. 



BY F. O. JOHNSON. 



Western Robin. Merida migratoria propinqua. — On the 

 morning of Deccember 6, 1891, while pursuing a Townsend's sparrow 

 which had flown to the top of a tall growth of jasmine, I noticed on 

 the opposite side of the bush a strange bird moping in the shade. 

 It observed me just as I saw it, and hopped sluggishly to another 

 branch putting a bough between us. I thought I was acquainted 

 with all the birds of this region, but this dusky stranger was alto- 

 gether unknown to me. My first impression was that it might be 



