THE OSPREY. 



101 



California department 



Donald A. Cohen, Editor, Alameda, Cal. 



Still More Albinism, 



IN recent numbers of TheOspkev have 

 appeared notes on Albinism, to which 

 I can add the following-: Western 

 Robin 9 , taken March 24, 1S94, at 

 Alameda, has one pure white tail feather. 

 An albino Western Robin was reported 

 to me January 16, 18')7. Two da;rs later, 

 while in search of this bird, I heard a 

 Robin's note and saw nothing- but a ' 'White 

 Pig-eon" flying past me, just out of g-un 

 rang-e, and a moment later realized it was 

 the albino. The next day I saw the 

 bird among a flock of about 15 that were 

 rather shy and that were feeding- on the 

 g-round in an orchard. Sneaking stealth- 

 ily along- a row of trees, trying not to 

 alarm the birds, I had g-ot within g-ood 

 g-un range of the white bird, and while 

 crouching- along-side a tree and waiting- 

 for the bird to come out into more open 

 •jfround where I could make sure of g-et- 

 ting- it with the "scattering" barrel; two 

 others, erratic as Robins are, sounded 

 a warning- note from the top of a tree 

 close by, and took wing, and with them 

 the whole flock, in such a manner that 

 intervening- trees prevented an}- chances 

 of a shot. This was the last I saw of 

 this bird, but I heard that a boy had shot 

 a white one. Anyhow I had a g-ood look 

 at the albino while it was feeding- and 

 hopping about. It was of a uniform 

 color, almost immaculate white, except 

 the breast and belly, which were faint 

 reddi=;h; an exquisite tint, and contrasted 

 beautifully with the white. Two or 

 three of the other birds that were feeding- 

 and passing- nearest it, ofl^ered it no 

 hostilitv on account of its color. 



The Cooper Club met February d at 

 the residence of Mr. H. R. Taylor, Ala- 

 meda. Owing- to the rush of business, 

 the scientific papers were read by title 

 only. A letter from Mr. L. Belding- was 

 read, accepting the honorary member- 

 ship tendered him. 



Canvas-backs have been exceeding-lv 

 numerous lately on the Alameda marshes 

 and are extremel}^ shy and wary, owing- 

 to numerous "-unners. 



The closed season for wild game be- 

 g-ins February 15, and althoug-h the mar- 

 ket hunters were supposed to have stop- 

 ped shipping^ game to be sold, January 15, 

 anyone who "knows the ropes" can buy 

 ducks and quail in the wholesaler's back 

 room. The law, being- technically' defect- 

 ive, cannot be enforced. 



From Arroyo Grande, California, Mr. 

 N. M. Moran writes: "Every night and 

 morning larg-e flocks of Crows fly over. 

 I can hear Wren Tits all day on the 

 mountain sides, and Western Horned 

 Owls every night. I see Western Red- 

 tail and Red-bellied Hawks constantly, 

 and sometimes a (lolden Eag-le and once 

 in a g-reat while a California Vulture 

 sailinof over." 



Since recording- a Snowy Owl taken at 

 Alameda last December, another was seen 

 on the marsh, but was too shy to be shot. 



In reply to Mr. H. B. Kreding-'s remarks 

 ( in January number of The Ospkev) 

 commenting on what appeared in Decem- 

 ber number about Western Robins and 

 Varied Thrushes, we wish to say that our 

 observations were made prior to Decem- 

 ber and since then have noted the follow- 

 ing- dates of arrival of the Western Rob- 

 ins, that are extraordinarily late, but 

 mav be accounted for by erratic move- 

 ments in bird life here this winter: De- 

 cember 1, first two birds; December 5, 

 three seen at San Lorenzo, while the Cal- 

 ifornia Editor was g-oing- from Alameda 

 to San Jose (43 miles ), none seen on re- 

 turn trip; January 2 to 4, a few seen and 

 heard at Alameda; January 9, to and 

 from San Jose, about 45 miles, seen each 

 wav; January 11, Alameda, one heard 

 while a flock of about 5(1 was seen on the 

 14th. They have been tolerably common 

 to date, ( February 10. ) 



Mr. R. C. McGreg-or. of Palo Alto. California, 

 writes that he will be absent until about Sep- 

 tember first, having- joined Mr. A. W. Anthony 

 and party on a collecting- trip. All correspond- 

 ence should be sent to Palo Alto. 



Mr. H. B. Kjeding-, of San Francisco, has 

 left to join the above expedition. They will 

 collect along the Gulf of California and vicin- 

 ity. 



Mr. Fred W. Koch, it is reported, has returned 

 to Berkeley from Southern California. 



