278 Bird -Lore 



where vegetable and insect life are so much more plentiful? Among the rocks 

 of Wizard Island, a little later, a Spotted Sandpiper greeted us with his familiar 

 teeter and prep; why could not the Dippers, which seem to have adopted so 

 many Sandpiper traits, also have learned from him to adapt themselves to 

 low as well as high altitudes? 



Although it was August all about in sheltered places on the cliffs could be 

 seen patches of snow. One of these near the water's edge lured us over to the 

 west shore of the lake. Rowing leisurely along under this last winter's snow- 

 bank, we unexpectedly encountered a female American Merganser leading a 

 band of tiny young out into the lake. Seeing us coming in her direction, the 

 old one urged her fledglings on with anxious quacks. Supposing that they 

 were doing their best, we began to wonder what they would do when we over- 

 hauled them, but at a word of command from the anxious mother they all 

 suddenly rose upon their very tails, and literally ran along the surface of the 

 water. Even then we finally overtook them, when the old bird took flight, 

 while her tiny followers, one by one kicked up their heels and disappeared 

 beneath the surface, to pop up after an incredibly long time widely scattered 

 over the surface of the lake. Seeing that nature was too sharp for us, we left 

 them, and when last seen they were reunited and placidly following their 

 mother about. 



A climb to the summit of Wizard Island — this very symmetrical ash cone, 

 a crater within a crater — was well worth the time spent, but resulted in only 

 one new bird observation, a pair of Desert Sparrow Hawks, inhabiting the 

 dead and stunted trees upon the circular rim of the shallow crater. Wishing 

 to descend from the crater in the shortest possible time, we solved the problem 

 by simply sliding down the smooth cindery slope, a method very saving of 

 time, but scarcely so of clothes. 



No sketch of Cascade Mountain bird-life would be complete without the 

 friendly touch of familiarity lent by the soft-plumed Oregon Jays, which 

 shared our meals during our entire stay. Whenever the grub-box was opened, 

 they would come flitting about with soft-voiced whistles, lighting upon the 

 tables and benches, and helping themselves to whatever scraps of food were 

 obtainable. Of all the Jays, these 'camp robbers,' in spite of their reputation, 

 appear the quietest and most trustworthy. As I have observed them, they 

 seldom indulge in the loud cries and scolding of other Jays. 



Few other varieties of birds were seen during our stay in the park proper. 

 A few American Crossbills were heard flying over, Pine Siskins were quite 

 plentiful at times, and, one of the surprises of the trip (for 1 had never thought 

 of this bird being partial to high altitudes), a Black-headed Grosbeak was seen 

 at the head of the Rim Trail. However, on our return trip we camped for a 

 night within the Crater Lake National Forest, at an elevation of probably 

 5,000 feet. Here, where the upper Rogue River roars and tumbles through a 

 canon which it has cut for itself through the volcanic rock, and where the 



