1 86 EvERMANN on Biids of Ventura County, California. [April 



185. Sitta carolinensis aculeata. (727 «.) Slender-billed Nut- 

 hatch. — A rare winter visitant. 



156. *Parus inornatus. (733.) Plain Titmouse. — Common resi- 

 dent, — most frequent among clumps of live-oaks. 



157. Parus atricapillus occidentalis. (735 a.) Oregon Chickadee. — 

 A rare winter resident. 



18S. *Cham3ea fasciata. (742.) Wren-Tit. — Rather common resi- 

 dent. Frequents sage-brush and other chaparral. 



1S9. *Psaltriparus minimus. (743-) Least Tit. — A rather common 

 resident; found in small flocks of from six to ten in winter. Breeds early, 

 building a long pensile nest, which it usually attaches to the limb of a live- 

 oak. The nest varies much in length, ranging from 4 to 22 inches in ex- 

 treme length. (See Gentry's 'Nests and Eggs of Birds of the United 

 States,' 131, 1S82.) 



190. Regulus satrapa olivaceus. (748(7.) Western Golden-crowned 

 Kinglet. — -With the preceding, a rare winter resident. 



191. Regulus calendula. (749.) Ruby-crowned Kinglet. — I often 

 met with this diminutive bird among the oaks of the foothills, but only in 

 winter. I do not know that I ever saw it in the valley or larger canons. 



192. *Polioptila caerulea. (751.) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. — This 

 little bird is a moderatelv common resident, nesting usually in the live- 

 oaks, about the middle of Maj-. 



193. *Polioptila californica. (753.) Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. — 

 Not so common as the preceding. Resident. 



194. Myadestes townsendii. (754-) Townsend's Solitaire. — A 

 very rare migrant. I saw it once or twice in the spring of 18S1. 



195. Turdus ustulatus. (75S.) Russet-backed Thrush. — A spring 

 and fall migrant. Not common. 



196. Turdus aonalaschkae. (759.) Dwarf Hermit Thrush. — -A 

 migrant with the preceding. Perliaps not so common. 



197. Merula migratoria propinqua. (761 a.') Western Robin. — An 

 abundant winter resident. 



19S. Hesperocichla nsevia. (763.) Varied Thrush. — A rare winter 

 visitant; seen only on one occasion. 



199. *Sialia mexicana. (767.) Western Bluebird. — This bird is 

 a common resident, but seems to lack some of those characteristics 

 which make our eastern species so great a favorite. It is but rarely seen 

 about our dwellings, but stays in more secluded retreats. Boxes which, 

 raised on poles in the garden or about the barn, so readily tempt the 

 eastern cousin, have no charms for our wild western bird. But time, the 

 civilizer, will doubtless work a reform in this bird, and then, instead of 

 confining itself to the oak-grown foothills in winter, and to the canons and 

 remoter parts of the valleys in summer, it will learn that we are its friends, 

 and will come and build its nest in the hollow limb of the tree by the 

 house, and in the box raised from the garden fence. 



200. Sialia arctica. (768.) Mountain Bluebird. — A rare winter 

 visitant. .\ single indixidual was seen in December, near Saticov. 



