ORNITHOLOGY OF GUADALUPE ISLAND. 315 



ably fine songster repeated the final dissyllable eight or ten 

 times. Only once did I hear the metallic click, so common 

 with the Oakland birds in winter, but even then it flowed 

 immediately into song. 



As early as the middle of February nest-building was in 

 order, the birds selecting the topmost foliage of a cypress, 

 and sometimes the very outer extremity of a horizontal 

 branch. 



As the result of many days' diligent search, three nests 

 came under my observation, and these were detected only 

 by watching the birds as they collected building material, 

 or by tracing to its source a peculiar, low song, which the 

 male sometimes sings when close to the nest. 



These nests were all found over twenty feet high, and 

 only one could be seen from the ground, and that merely 

 during the intervals when the wind parted the branches. 

 They were placed in the midst of a thick bunch of foliage, 

 and but lightly secured to the twigs. Compact, though not 

 very smooth in structure, they were composed of soft 

 strips of bark intermingled with feathers, bits of moss, 

 fine grass arid cocoons. Additional warmth is secured by 

 a quantity either of goat's hair or feathers, and, lastly, a 

 thin lining of goat's hair. Their external measurement is 

 about 70 mm. in height by 90 mrn. in diameter, while the 

 internal depth is about 45 mm., and diameter from 35 mm. 

 to 45 mm.. The mouth of the opening is smaller than im- 

 mediately below. 



A nest containing two fresh eggs (set No. 799, author's 

 oological collection) was found in the top of a slender 

 cypress twenty-five feet high, March 24. It could not be 

 seen from the ground, but was located by the subdued song 

 of the male bird. As I ascended the tree and approached 

 the nest, the female flew off and joined her mate in a neigh- 

 boring tree. She made no demonstrations whatever, and 

 was not again seen, while her partner, undisturbed by my 

 intrusion continued to warble his richest song. 



