I'.rLLKTIN No. X', ir. 



Between Flagstaff and Melleii, on July 4, I'inon Jay an<l Scorched 

 Horned Lark were added to our lists. 



At about 2 o'clock on the morning of July <)th our ways 

 parted for a time. Mine to visit relatives in Pasadena, Cali- 

 fornia, Dawson's to be with his family in Blaine, Washington. 

 It was an unfair advantage which the lone wanderer naturally 

 had over the man of family ties, for Los Angeles county- was 

 richer in new .species than an}- other region visited. It was to 

 the writer a veritable bird paradise. But we must not be 

 too hasty. 



By morning twilight we were racing down the west side 

 of the Coa.st Range away from the sun. As we looked out to- 

 ward the Pacific it seemed to approach us far more rapidly than 

 we were coasting down the mountain side. Yonder loomed 

 Catalina, and over there the other rocky masses seemed to float 

 over the rolling billows. Now I began to appreciate the per- 

 fect transparency of the air of this wonderful western region, 

 for I knew that those islands must be many miles away. 

 But — Presto I before I could gather my.self together we 

 plunged into a dense fog bank that was rolling up the moun- 

 tain side. My islands were mountain peaks ! There were no 

 birds to be seen in this thick cloud, but as we descended and 

 the cloud rose, the mistiness gave place to a heavy morning 

 air, saturated, bttt clear below the clotid bank. 



As we neared San Bernardino and passed through and 

 beyond it. I was struck by the marked similarity of the appear- 

 ance of the country to my old home country in central Iowa. 

 I felt almost like a wanderer come home again. Soon, as we 

 sped down and on. the apple orchards (?) gave place to apri- 

 cots, prunes, lemons, oranges in regular procession. It was 

 garden, desert, garden, de.sert, garden, the lines sharply drawn 

 between them. My time was poorly divided between the birds 

 and the country and fruit, but there were a few interesting 

 bird records. The Mexican Horned Larks, California Wood- 

 peckers, Turkey X'ultures, Magpies and Mockingbirds, seemed 

 to invite attention. A bevy of Valley Partridges scurried 

 away from the fl>ing train. I was wondering how much fur- 

 ther away Pasadena might be when a chance glance from the 

 window sent me scurrying for the door with bag and baggage. 

 Eight vear's in middle life makes little change in one's friends. 



