THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY 



289 



strategy of actions to make tliemselves tlie centre of attrac- 

 tion, than by the most reckless attempts to drive the intruder 

 from the field. Rapidly uttering their loud_ p lec-ee k, they 

 charged one witli a directness and apparent determination 

 wiiicli threatened to drive their needle-pointed bill into the 

 base, swerving to right or left when only a few feet away, 

 and repeating the performance almost immediately. They 



stilt on Nest 



claimed dominion over so wide a territory and appeared so 

 anxious to guard it all equally, that it was difficult to locate 

 their nest from their actions. We found neither eggs nor 

 young on our first visit, but several nearly grow^n young 

 were taken between June 10 and 1^0. 



Black Terns w^ere as abundant over this submerged 

 desert as Swallows are over some of our eastern marshes in 

 August. There was not a moment when their sharp peek 

 could not be heard. They nested on their usual little island- 

 rafts, and the young of the year were just beginning to fly 

 on June 16. 



20 



