^202 



THE OOLOGIST. 



recognized in it a species strange to me. 

 A subsequent consultation of Coues con- 

 vinced me that the bird was the rare 

 desirable Spotted Owl {Syrnium occi- 

 flentale), which is known to breed in 

 Southern California. 



My dash up the bank was perhaps in- 

 decorous as well as speedy. I searched 

 arouad the ferns from whence the owl 

 hand flown and soon found the object 

 of my quest resting upon a few dry 

 leaves in an arched recess in the ferns. 

 The eggs were two in number, pure 

 white, and measured as follows: 2. 12 

 .■xl.68; 2. 24x1 .63. 



While I was thus engaged my com- 

 panion, having been attracted by the 

 •cat-like cries of the Spurred Towhee, 

 Searched in the dense mass of ferns, 

 leaves and grass that carpeted the bot- 

 tom of the ravine for some depth, and 

 formed a nest containing five eggs. A 

 second Towhee was flushed in the same 

 vicinity and we began to search for its 

 nest. We could not find the nest and 

 were about to discontinue our search 

 when a California Patridge arose from 

 between us and fluttered away in a per- 

 turbed manner. So dense was the veg- 

 atation that it required a lengthy search 

 to find the nest, but our eyes sparkled 

 'when we finally glanced into the nest, 

 fairly lined with the speckled beauties, 

 nineteen in all. Barn Owls were num- 

 erous, but we found none of their nests. 

 Parkman's Wrens were noticed in con- 

 siderable numbers and several of their 

 nests observed. Now and then the buzz 

 of a Hummingbird was heard as the 

 little fairy darted about in the passive 

 shade. Several of their nests w(u-e 

 found but no eggs secured' 



We were now Hearing the limits of 

 ravine and, as the hour was late,, we 

 concluded to make our way homeward. 

 About a mile from the I'avine we added 

 to our well filled boxes a set of four eggs 

 of the California Woodpecker. 



The day was rapidly drawing ta a 

 close; (he shadows stretched their 



lengthening foi-ms across the valley's, 

 and from the distant tile-roofed mission 

 reposing serenely at the foot of the cir- 

 cumjacent hills, came the faint mur- 

 mur of the evening chimes. When, 

 tired and hungry, we reached the city 

 night was at hand, naught but the last 

 rays of the sinking sun flickered in the 

 Western skies. A quiet peace prevad- 

 ed the laud, while from the neighbor- 

 ing copse rose the thrashei's song, the 

 last requiem for the parting day. 



H. C. LiLLIE, 



Santa Barbara, Cal. 



Eggs of Sharpe's Seed-eater. 



As the eggs of Sporophila morelleti 

 sharpei were unknown until a very re- 

 cent date, and I believe are described 

 in none of the works on oology, a des- 

 cription of a set of these in my collec- 

 tion taken with the nest at Brownsville, 

 Texas, May, 20 1891, and positively 

 identified, may be of interest to the 

 readers of the Oologist. 



Their ground color is a light bluish- 

 green, which is more or less spotted and 

 blotched over the entire surface with 

 dull brown, more numerous toward the 

 larger end. Two of the eggs are also 

 marked on the larger end with very 

 dark brown (almost approaching black- 

 ish) spots and ])lotches. They measure 

 .64 X .52, .65 X .51, .66 x .52. 



The nest was situated in a small 

 bush in open wood and near a running 

 stream. It is rather a frail structure, 

 yet well-cupped, and measures outside, 

 If inches high and 21 inches in diame- 

 ter; while inside it measures H inches 

 in depth and If inches in width. It is 

 composed of a small yellowish root, 

 round grass stems, weeds and a little 

 Spanish mo.'s, woven through with 

 horse hair. 



The eggs, 1 believe, are known to be 

 contained in only twelve collections. 



H. C. HiGGINS, 



Ciuciunatns, N. Y. 



