A Californian Aviary. 103 



looking' at nie from a distance of a few yards only, or swooped 

 from the sky to settle close beside me. i was in need of a few 

 specimens of Wagtails, so lired a couple of shots with a 410 

 bore at birds on the reeds, but the reports did not unsettle more 

 than a portion of such birds as had taken up their places. The 

 majority of the birds appear to prefer as a sleeping" place 

 positions low down in the reed tangles about a foot or two from 

 the surface of the water. It was now growing too dark to 

 pick out individual species satisfactorily, so 1 lett the pool in 

 peace for the birds to settle for the night. 



Under the circumstances described above it was, of 

 course, quite impossible to be sure to what species the majority 

 of the birds belonged, and many of the birds were in nondescript 

 types of plumage, only to be identified with much study in the 

 cabinet. The following species were, however, common: — 

 the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), the Grey-headed Wagtail 

 (Motacilla borcalisj, Syke's Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla 

 bccniaj. and the Vellow-headed Wagtail {Motacilla citrcolaj. 

 1 also identified the Masked Wagtail (Motacilla personata) and 

 the Black-headed Wagtail (Motacilla feldcggi). Hodgson's 

 Vellow-headed Wagtail (Motacilla citrcoloidcsj may easily 

 have been present too, as 1 had secured a specimen on the 

 previous day about five miles away. The Water Pipits and 

 Keed Buntings were, however, conspicuous by their absence, 

 •and had doubtless already left for their breeding grounds, 

 though there had been a few of the former species about some 

 marshes in the previous week. 



C-f><> 



A Californian Aviary and its Inmates. 



By T. F. M. Williamson. 

 Concluded from page /S. 



In the other aviary I have the following : 



2 Virginia Cardinals ( Cartliiialis card'nutlis). 



2 Chinese Bulbuls (Pyciioiiotits si)iciislsj. 



2 East India Grosbeaks. 



I Crested Myiiah {(S ) ( Acridotlicrcs cristatcUns), 



