276 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Se». 



coast form, but his two towhees respectively approach the 

 Sacramento Towhee (Pipilo maculatus falcinellus Swarth), 

 and the Northern Brown Towhee {Pipilo crissalis carolcu 

 McGregor). Other changes in his Hst would be only cases of 

 up-to-date changes of nomenclature. 



Curiously enough, Dr. Fisher did not mention the Sierra 

 Junco (Junco oreganiis thnrberi), which we found breeding 

 there. As we were being shown to our sleeping quarters at the 

 Mt. St. Helena Inn, shortly after our arrival there on the after- 

 noon of April 10, one of these birds with something in its 

 mouth attracted my attention, and later search developed a nest 

 in course of construction near the top of the excavated bank just 

 back of the building. This nest was among the roots of a 

 small oak growing on the very edge of the top, and the nest 

 was nearly hidden by vines that covered the bank as well as 

 protected it from the sun and ordinary rains by a slight over- 

 hang of earth. Returning to this place on May 3 we found 

 that the nest contained five heavily incubated eggs. Nest, eggs 

 and one parent (No. 19858, C. A. S.), were taken for the 

 breeding record, as being the first for the locality. 



Perhaps the most important result of our visit was the find- 

 ing of the Yolla Bolly Fox Sparrow {Passer ella iliaca brevi- 

 cauda Mailliard) on Mt. St. Helena, apparently well estab- 

 lished there. In the brush, from an altitude of about 2800 feet 

 up to the top, they were quite numerous during our four days' 

 stay, but wild as are most of this genus outside of the breeding 

 season. It was an easy matter to "squeak them up" near one, 

 but they would appear on the tops of the bushes only to dart 

 down again at the slightest motion the observer might make. 

 In spite of this characteristic, several specimens were ob- 

 tained. At this date it seemed possible that this sparrow might 

 be breeding on Mt. St. Helena, as it was so close to the nesting 

 time, but a later visit (on May 3) failed to develop any sign 

 or sound of fox sparrows. It is reasonable to suppose, from 

 the number and actions of those we found there, that this 

 locality must be within the general winter habitat of the Yolla 

 Bolly Fox Sparrow, probably about the southern limit except 

 for occasional straggling, but it will need some further seasonal 

 observations to determine this. Specimens have been taken 



