CONSPICUOUSLY BLACK AND WHITE 399 
may be studied in almost any locality from Pasadena to 
Sun Diego and eastward. Stragglers have been ob- 
served as far north as San José, Chico, and Marysville, 
but their usual haunts are the warmer regions of the 
southeastern part of the State. Here they nest in the 
oaks and mesquites, building a loose flat structure which 
once seen will ever afterward be easily identified. I be- 
lieve that these birds, like the cedar waxwings, usually 
remain mated for life, but when the sunny May days 
come the male performs wonderful aérial gymnastics to 
win the admiration of the demure brown female. With 
a not unmusical prelude he springs into the air, performs 
a somersault much like a long-tailed chat, and comes 
tumbling back to his perch, where he alights easily and 
gracefully, not having ceased his song for a moment. 
The only notice his quiet mate takes of this is a slight 
elevating of her crest, as a haughty lady might raise her 
eyebrows. The male’s fine crest is constantly erect, 
cockatoo fashion, as he continues his adulation. In fact, 
the only time I ever saw it lowered was when one of 
these handsome birds seemed to be scolding a female, 
whether his mate or not I do not know. He stood be- 
fore her with crest down and head stretched out ona 
level with his body, wings tight to his sides, uttering 
harsh notes and swaying from side to side in anger. As 
soon as she flew away he resumed his eating. 
One pair which nested in an oak tree near Pasadena 
appeared suddenly in the neighborhood on the morning 
of May 16, and a few days later were discovered at work 
on anest. A watch was kept from a distance with field 
