ORNITHOLOGY 



297 



jungltjs of the Amazon, or on the banks 

 of the African Congo. The beautiful 

 sea birds, birds found in bays and 

 marshes, and the game birds of the 

 Pacific Coast Hnger in this locaHty to 

 feed on the insects, the Crustacea and 

 the molluscs that here abound. Many 

 varieties nest here. 



Several leading gun clubs have tak- 

 en advantage of these lakes, and have 

 leased large portions over which to 

 shoot the wild ducks that visit us in 

 the fall of the year. 



During a visit to Xorth River Slough, 

 one of the largest of the five lakes, we 

 recorded twenty-five species and nearly 

 three hundred individual birds. Among 

 those most interesting was the northern 

 phalarope (Plialaropus lobatns) of which 

 a large flock was observed feeding at the 

 edge of the lake. In the group we counted 

 fourteen individual birds. They are a 

 common migrant along the coast and on 

 inland bodies of water. The writer took 

 an adult male October 12th — a late re- 

 cord. 



The black-necked stilt {Himantopus 

 mexicanus) is a common summer resi- 

 dent. We did not expect to record any 

 of these long legged stilts, but on the 

 northeast section we counted six. They 

 are rare in winter. The writer has taken 

 sets of eggs of this species for the 

 museum in j\Iay and June. 



The avocet {Recurvirostra americana) 

 was heralded with surprise. We have 

 never been so fortunate as to locate this 

 species at Nigger Slough. Dr. Brown of 

 Washington, D. C, who is spending his 

 winter in Los Angeles, informed me re- 

 cently that he has taken several adult 

 specimens this year at North Slough. 

 They are common in marshy districts 

 during migration. We counted three 

 feeding near the "little hill." 



Among other interesting species we 

 recorded the American bittern (Botaurus 

 lentiginosiis), the American coot {Fnlica 

 americana), the Bonaparte gull {Lams 

 Philadelphia), the California and the 

 western gull {Lams calif orniciis and L. 

 occidcntalis) , the western sandpiper 

 {Breimetes iiianri), the beautiful marbled 

 godwit {Liniosa fedoa), the greater yel- 

 lowlegs {Totanus inclaiiolei(cus) , and 

 several. varieties of song birds, ducks, 

 terns and grebes. 



The writer is preparing a treatise on 

 the aerial fauna of this region and is 

 being assisted by members of The Ag- 

 assiz Association that reside in Los 

 Angeles and its vicinity. 



Greenland Wheatear at Manomet, 

 Massachusetts. 



An adult Greenland wheatear was ob- 

 served by Judge Charles F. Jenney o f Hyde 

 Park, on September 16, 191 5, along the 

 boulder-strewn shore of Manomet Beach, 

 Massachusetts. This bird was studied 

 at close range for twenty minutes, giv- 

 ing the observer ample opportunity to 

 sketch and note in detail its markings 

 and characteristics. 



This is the second instance of the wheat- 

 ear appearing in Massachusetts, the pre- 

 vious record being in September 19 10, and 

 there are four records of its occurrence in 

 New York. It rarely, however, appears 

 anywhere along the coast of the United 

 States ; its usual route of migration carry- 

 ing it across the North Atlantic, through 

 the British Isles and France, southward 

 to the northwestern part of Africa, its 

 winter home. It returns in the spring 

 over the same route to its nesting grounds 

 within the Arctic Circle and is said to be 

 the only small species of land bird still 

 followino- this ancient route. 



TAKING NOTES AMONG THE CACTUS OX THE 

 DOMINQUEZ RANCHO. 



