THE OOLOGIST. 



201 



When we emerged from the Ihigs, we 

 quit the stream for aa adjacent canon 

 where the voices of numberless song- 

 sters were lifted in generous emulation 

 and countless bees I'oved hither and 

 thither culling nectar for their succu- 

 lent stores. Here we noticed Parkmaa's 

 Wrens in considerable numbers and 

 found several of their nests, which arc 

 built in the cavities of trees. This bird 

 builds its nest as far back in the cavity 

 as posible, tilling the interior with a 

 collection of small twigs, which pro- 

 truding from the opening invariably be- 

 trays the presence of the nest. The 

 nest is composed of horse* hairs and 

 feathers with a piece of snake's skin 

 added by way of adornment. 



We obtiined three sets, one of nine 

 eggs and two of four. The eggs of this 

 species resemble those of the eastern 

 House Wren in color, size and shape. 

 In the pendulous foliage of the oak the 

 California Bush Tit weaves its l)eauti- 

 ful nest. This nest is a marvel of bird 

 architecture and entirelj' out of propor- 

 tion to the diminutive size of the build- 

 er. It is the result of many days ardu- 

 ous labor, and many miles must be 

 traveled by the tiny birds in collecting 

 the thousands of particles of wool, 

 weeds and lichens used in its construc- 

 tion. The nest is cylindrical in form 

 with a lateral entrance near the top. 

 The walls are composed chiefly of wool 

 and lichens, but strings, bits of weeds 

 and twigs are used to good advantage; 

 the bottom is lined with feathers and 

 vegetable down. The average dimen- 

 tions are as follows: Length S inches, 

 breadth 5 inches, walls* inch, except 

 at the bottom, where it is increased to 

 2 inches. The eggs are pure white in 

 color and measure scarcely one-half 

 inch in length. Both the musical Wren 

 and the tnjoping Bush Tits do the far- 

 mers an incalculable good in the des- 

 truction of insect pests. 



When the sun had attained the zen- 

 ith, weiound ourselves upon a hill com- 



manding a view of the ocean, wliich 

 lay as calm as any inland sea. Here 

 while lolling upon the green sward we 

 partook of our lunch. 



In close proximity lay a woodland 

 through which ran a deep ravine. Thi- 

 ther we took our way and renewed the 

 search. While wandering about we 

 found a nest of Nuttal's Woodpecker in 

 a bee tree. My companion visited it a 

 few days later on and procured from 

 the nest a set of six eggs. A little fur- 

 ther on two owls tlew out of a hollow 

 ti'ce. My companion ascended the tree 

 and after gazing down the cavernous 

 depths announced the discovery of a 

 nest. Our buoyant hopes rose higher 

 and higher. Gazing down the cavity 

 until his eyes became acussomed to the 

 darkness, my companion beheld,: repos- 

 ing upon the questionable debris con- 

 tained therein, a solitary egg of hugh 

 proportions. In size and conformation 

 this egg proclaimed its parentage, while 

 its voluble odor, as it permeated the 

 circumambient atmosphere, tirmly con- 

 vinced us of its age. It was doubtless 

 the relic of a pair of Western Horned 

 Owls whose fate is an unsolved mystery. 



Next we entered the ravine: where, 

 enclosed around with bushy sides, and 

 covered high with a foliaceous canopy, 

 supported by the bare and rugged 

 trunks of sycamore's and oaks, a silence 

 reigned in mildness, lonliness and 

 peace, while here and there a few strag- 

 gling sunbeams found an entrance ant^ 

 flickered in the gloom. As we advanced 

 the omnious denizens of this umbra- 

 geous retreat, startled from their slum- 

 bers, sought refuge in soft-winged fliglit 

 A Barn Owl sweeping l)y attracted my 

 attention and I turned to watch its 

 course. As I did so a large owl sprung 

 from the l)ank directly opi)osite me, 

 and so soft was its flight, that, had I not 

 been looking in that direction, it cer- 

 tainly would have escaped my notice. 

 It being no more than twenty feet di.s- 

 taut, I obtained a good view of the l>ir(l 



