46 £be Marbler 



hopper Sparrow, being as loud and very similar. The male at this time 

 also performs some interesting evolutions. Leaving his high perch he will 

 ascend straight toward the sky for about 200 feet, then turning, drop to the 

 earth like a bullet, making a graceful curve as he comes close to the ground, 

 at which time his song bursts forth in ecstatic delight and he resumes his 

 favorite perch. I have seen one bird repeat this performance three times 

 in six minutes. 



CALIFORNIA PARTRIDGE 



{Callipcpla califoniicd) 



THIS beautiful and desirable game bird proved to be more abundant than 

 I expected, and was continually showing up in the most unexpected 

 places. One day I saw a flock of at least thirty in the public park of the 

 city of San Diego. They were frequently seen in orange and lemon 

 groves, where they might fall easy victims to the hunter. In fact, they were 

 more commonly seen in such places than in canons, where one would nat- 

 urally look for them. A friend who lives on Ocean avenue, in the heart of 

 the city of Santa Monica, told me that two pairs reared their brood among 

 the trees and shrubs surrounding his house and stables last year. I myself 

 saw and heard the birds there on February 26th. 



SNOW GOOSE 

 {Chen hyperborea nivalis) 



IN going from San Diego to Los Angeles I saw from the car window a 

 large quantity of Snow Geese, probably one thousand or more, feeding in 

 a green field which sloped gently to the ocean. They had evidently been 

 attracted by the green forage and had left the water to enjoy it. 



THE ENGLISH SPARROW 



{Passer do))icsticus) 



THE English Sparrow has not yet reached Eos Angeles, but I am told 

 that many have reached Bakersfield and already driven out the beautiful 

 and musical House Finch which is the delight of all California towns. It 

 will be a sorry day for Los Angeles when the sweet and melodious Finch 

 gives way to the ugly and greedy English Sparrow. This Finch is to Cali- 

 fornia what the Robin is to Eastern North America, only the Finch is a 

 more beautiful bird and a much finer songster, and nests freely in the shade 

 trees, palms, vines, shrubbery, etc., about the houses in all large towns and 

 cities, singing from daylight until dark. 



