Vol i906 IH ] Ray ' A - Birdin 9 in an Aut0 - 407 



valley lands we had passed. Such birds as the Lawrence Goldfinch 

 and Southern White-headed Woodpecker were typical of the region, 

 although lower zone species, as the Bullock Oriole and the House 

 Finch, were also in evidence. About dusk we made the summit 

 (elevation 4433 feet), and a little later pulled up at Gorman Station 

 (elevation 3500 feet). 



May 24- — To Los Angeles, 117 miles. Additional species, 6. 



A large part of to-day's run was over a broad rolling plateau, 

 timbered in spots and interspersed with ponds and an occasional 

 lake, many of which, owing to the exceptional rainfall of the 

 past season, existed for the first time in years. Various water 

 birds sported on the surface of most of them. Several coyotes 

 lying in the sun by the road were rudely awakened and headed 

 with all speed for the timber, while the number of American 

 Ravens seen soon dispossessed us of the idea that the bird is to 

 be considered at all rare in the region. One stretch of country 

 between Meenach (elevation 3039 feet) and Fairmount, known as 

 Antelope Valley, with its heavy growth of tree yuccas (Yucca 

 arborescens) and Spanish daggers (Hesperoyucca whipplei) had a 

 truly semitropical appearance. Near Elizabeth Lake (elevation 

 3700 feet), along an unused road, I found, with parent incubating, 

 five eggs of the Pasadena Thrasher. Four proved to be well 

 advanced in incubation while the fifth egg, which was perfectly 

 fresh, was clawed by the bird in leaving, the shell being very 

 fragile, as seems usual with these 'extra' eggs. The manner of 

 nesting in this case was in nowise different from that of the bird 

 of our more northern woods. 



At the head of a narrow brushy canon known as the San Francis- 

 quite, we started down the final grade. Some person with a fas- 

 cination for figures has said that the stream is crossed fifty-three 

 times on the way, and personally I believe the count is not far 

 from accurate. We observed a number of White-throated Swifts 

 flying about the tall rocky cliffs which tower above the road, and 

 which undoubtedly afforded them nesting sites. Civilization and 

 lower-zone bird life marked the ride from Saugus, at the foot of 

 the grade, to Los Angeles, which was reached in time to get con- 

 vieniently located. 



May 25 to SI . — Los Angeles and vicinity. Additional spe- 

 cies, 9. 



