398 LAND BIRDS 
even then the food was often chewed by the adult before 
it was given to the young. 
The nest itself was a fairylike structure, not much 
larger than that of the hummingbird. When not busy 
hunting insects for his brood, the father flitted through 
the trees with a happy little song. It was a silvery 
warble, eminently in keeping with the tiny singer. His 
note of protest was a shrill “ tzee, tzee, tzee,” very like 
the call of the golden-crowned kinglet. 
753. BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER. — Polioptila 
californica. 
Famity: The Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, ete. 
Length: 4.15-4.50. 
Adult Male: Crown black ; upper parts dark slate-color; tail black ; 
outer tail-feathers edged with white; under parts gray ; belly washed 
with rusty. 
Adult Female: Upper parts slate-color, merging to black on tail; under 
parts gray. 
Young: Like female, but tinged with brown. 
Geographical Distribution: Pacific coast of Southern and Lower Cali- 
fornia. . 
Yalifornia Breeding Range: Local in the San Diegan district, northwest 
to Ventura, 
Breeding Season: March, April, and May. 
Nest: A compact, cup-shaped structure ; of vegetable fibre, sage leaves, 
plant down, and spider webs, lined with plant down and feathers. 
Placed near the ground in weeds, low bushes, or cactuses. 
Eggs: 4; pale pea-green, thickly speckled with brownish red or rusty. 
Size 0.50 X 0.45. 
AurHouGcu this Gnateatcher is a common resident in 
most parts of Southern California, its nesting habits are 
more or less difficult to observe. Only one nest of this 
species has ever come under my observation, and that 
