In a Mission Patio. 



grass, and presently we see him upon 

 his perch devouring a luckless cricket. 

 The call-note of Say's pewee is a rather 

 melodious^^' wit^ less sharp and metal- 

 lic than the cry of many flycatchers, and 

 with something almost flute-like in its 

 quality. As we watch the bird he flies 

 from his weed stalk and perches upon 

 the pointed tile covering of an old 

 chimney, repeatedly sounding his call, 

 and occasionally emphasizing it with a 

 flirt of the tail. 



Gambel's shrike, a variety of butcher- 

 bird, made himself very much at home 

 about the mission during my stay 

 there. He would sit patiently in a 

 leafless peach tree in the front garden, 

 waiting for plunder, and always im- 

 pressed me as being such a very clean- 

 cut, smooth sort of a bird. He looked 

 so innocent and would even essay an 

 attempt at a warble on special occasions. 

 See him as he stands there with his soft, 

 bluish gray back, his pale grayish white 

 breast, the conspicuous black streak 

 228 



