RIDGWAY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



57 



On May 3rd I found a pair of these birds at work on a nest, 

 the next day it was completed outwardly, although I did not climb 

 to see if it was lined. On the 8th I saw the head and tail of the bird 

 on the nest. I whistled and it came off and stood on a branch a 

 few inches distant. I plainly saw his black cap as he stepped back 

 into the nest a moment later, and supposing that he was incubating 

 on the full set I shot him. On climbing to the nest I found but two 

 eggs and left them for further developments. On the nth I found 

 the female on the nest, she sat so closely that I nearly caught her in 

 my hands. The nest now contained four eggs, in which incuba- 

 tion had just commenced. It was built in a mesquite, 13 feet from 

 the ground, and was overhung by a branch of mistletoe. 



On the 14th I found another nest built in a bunch of dead 

 mistletoe 10 feet from the ground. I had to drive the $ off the 

 nest three times before he would go far enough for it to be safe for 

 me to shoot him, even then I had to shake the end of a drooping 

 branch to get him off at all. Nest contained four eggs, and one of 

 Molothrus ater obscurus. 



134. PoLioPTiLA CALiFORNicA Biewst. {^Black-tailed Gnat- 

 catcher). Only one noted. San Bernardino, April 28th. 



135. TuRDUS USTULATUS (Nutt.). {Russet-backed Thrush). 

 One seen in Cohuilla Valley and three at Yuma. Thev breed in 

 the San Bernardino Valley. 



136. TuRDUS aonalaschKyE auduboni (Baird). [Audubon's 

 Hermit Thrush). A ^ obtained in Cohuilla Valley, April 15th, 

 was the only one seen. They were heard in Bear Valley. 



137. Merula migratoria propinqua Ridgw. [Western 

 Robin). Two were seen in Cohuilla Valley, and a few in Bear 

 Valley. The species is an irregular Winter visitant in the valleys 

 of Southern California, some Winters not appearing at all and again 

 coming in multitudes. A few breed regularly in the pine regions. 



138. Si ALIA MEXICAN A Swains. [Western Bluebird')' 

 Probably onl}^ a migrant in Cohuilla Valley and at Yuma. At 

 Bear Valley they are common and breed. The nests are generally 

 built in holes in stumps. 



139. Si ALIA ARCTIC A (Swains.). [Mountain Bluebird). 

 Found only in Bear Valley where they are not common. Young 

 were seen June 19th. 



