VOL. III.] Water Birds of California. 135 



These composition drinks are sold at double the price of the 

 fresh tuba, but though much used and highly intoxicating delirium 

 tremens is of rare occurrence. 



The venders of tuba or " Tuberos " as they are called, are found 

 in the markets and in certain other places about the streets of Colima 

 drawing thirsty crowds who seem to have preference for the tuba 

 offered for sale by this or that person. The cry of the tubero as he 

 goes about the streets is a familiar one often eagerly responded to. 

 He is an object of curiosity to strangers, wearing a yoke upon his 

 shoulders with a rope depending from each end sustaining by 

 hooks, large gourds filled with tuba. Immediately below the rim of 

 these gourds pieces of reed are inserted. These serve as spouts for 

 pouring the tuba and also to carry the small vessels made of 

 halves of gourds of different sizes, in which the tuba is retailed. 

 These small vessels are pierced and a string passed through, by 

 which they are suspended from the spout when not in use. There 

 is also carried hanging from the spout a strainer which looks like a 

 large wooden spoon full of holes, this is to remove any foreign 

 substance which may appear on the surface of the tuba as the 

 vender wanders to and fro offering to his customers the smallest 

 gourd full of the drink for a cent and the largest one for two cents. 



A CHECK -LIST OF THE WATER BIRDS OF 



CALIFORNIA. 



BY WALTER E. BRYANT. 



While engaged upon some writing pertaining to the birds of Cal- 

 ifornia, I have found it convenient to have a list of the known species 

 readily accessible, and have found Mr. Belding's " Land Birds of 

 the Pacific District" so necessary that I was obliged to prepare a 

 list of the water birds to supplement it. In this connection I have 

 consulted all available records, and have received information re- 

 garding several species from Mr. Belding and Dr. J. G. Cooper. I 

 have also compared it with a list compiled by Mr. Palmer two years 

 ago. The publication of the " Water Birds of the Pacific District " 

 having been deferred for lack of fuller information regarding the 

 distribution of species and the times of their arrival and departure, 

 it is hoped that those having the opportunity will give closer atten- 

 tion to the water birds, and make known their observations. I 



