153 VAN DENBURGH — BIRDS OF SANTA CLARA CO., CAL. [Nov. 17, 



date some of the more enterprising have selected their homes, and, 

 in a few instances, begun to lay (April 19, 1888). The majority, 

 however, wait until nearly a month later. 



After the nest has been finished and laying begun, one egg is de- 

 posited each morning, with an occasional intermission, until the 

 set is complete. The number of eggs laid varies greatly. I have 

 found incubated sets of from ten to nineteen eggs, and reports of 

 nests containing twenty-five have reached me from reliable farmers. 

 Two pairs kept in captivity during the summer of 1888 laid sixty- 

 six eggs (twenty-five and forty-one). 



Single eggs are often found on the ground in places where least 

 expected. This, I believe, is due to indecision on the part of the 

 female, for caged birds deposited several eggs at random before 

 choosing a definite nest. It is not unlikely that nests sometimes 

 receive eggs from more than one female. This certainly is true of 

 caged quail. I have found two nests of Pipilo maculatus oregomis 

 which contained, besides the usual four eggs of the towhee, one and 

 three quail's eggs respectively. 



Sometimes both birds are flushed from the nest, but the duties of 

 incubation usually fall to the lot of the female. A hint of the trage- 

 dies that sometimes occur at this time is given in the following items 

 from my notebook : 



On May 18, 1898, while clearing away some vines, a quail's nest 

 was discovered in the corner of a chicken-yard. When first shown 

 me this nest contained six eggs and was partially hidden by some 

 dead vines which had been placed over it. May 26 : Female 

 sitting on nine eggs. May 27: Female incubating. May 28 : 

 The eggs were cold and quail feathers were scattered all 

 about. Evidently the female had been caught and eaten dur- 

 ing the night. May 29 : The male has taken the female's place 

 on the nest. I fear he will share her fate. May 30 : The male's 

 feathers are mingled with those of his mate. 



Often, while the female is incubating or has gone on the nest to 

 lay, her mate mounts upon some post or tree nearby and gives vent 

 to his feelings in a metallic call that may be represented by the 

 monosyllable '* kayrk." This note, which is repeated drawlingly 

 at frequent intervals, is heard only at this season. 



The period of incubation is, to judge from caged birds, twenty- 

 one days. The young often leave the nest before their down has 

 dried, and are from the first gifted with great ability to hide. It is 



