Vol i906" m ] Ray ' A - Birdin g in an Aut0 - 403 



eggs and one newly-hatched young, while the well-feathered family 

 of a Red-shafted Flicker was occupying a cavity in a tall dead 

 stump. In exploring this the writer seriously cut his hand with 

 a camp ax, which closed operations for the day. At noon we 

 were on the road again, covering the thirty odd miles which lie 

 between Firebaugh and Madera. This stretch of alkali waste- 

 land is less swampy than the region crossed to the north, and 

 water birds were correspondingly less numerous. Owing to the 

 fact that we travelled with greater speed and less noise than by 

 the usual method, we found we could approach much nearer ani- 

 mal life along the road. Turkey Vultures that we often came 

 upon while they were feeding would scarcely fly when we passed 

 them, and on several occasions we sped by a Swainson Hawk 

 or some equally large bird sitting on a fence-post. Near Madera 

 we came upon a Mexican Horned Lark feeding a juvenile in the 

 center of the road. The parent took flight, but before we could 

 stop, the youngster passed from sight beneath us but was luckily 

 unhurt. This is the earliest date we know of for fully-fledged 

 young. 



As we approached Madera the fertile country appealed strongly 

 to us, after crossing the broad stretch of alkali country. In an 

 orchard near town our list was increased by the appearance of that 

 flexible-throated songster, the Western Mockingbird. Between 

 Madera and Fresno the country becomes very dry and barren, 

 but from the latter place southward lies the richest portion of the 

 whole valley. Dusk found us camping in the shade of some 

 mighty oaks on the Kings River, two miles south of Kingsbury. 

 To the east, where this river has its source, the Sierras form a 

 continuous wall and reach their highest point in Mount Whitney. 

 The long line of towering peaks in their snowy grandeur recalled 

 the sparkling torrents, crystal lakes, and vast forests of these great 

 mountains, with a bird life possessing for the student a fascina- 

 tion which no other region quite equals. 



May 13. — To Visalia, 17^ miles. Additional species, 7. 



Before leaving Kings River to-day I had some opportunity to 

 observe the birds about the camp. A pair of Long-tailed Chats, 

 by their noisy chatter and earnest call-notes, proclaimed too promi- 

 nent an interest in a clump of low bushes where the just completed 



