284 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Se«. 



seen several in a little pocket in the hills where the wild white 

 lilac was blooming in profusion. Going at once to the spot 

 we endeavored to study their actions and to secure some speci- 

 mens, both of which were somewhat difficult matters because 

 of the shyness and rapidity of motion of the birds. 



As soon as the traps had been visited on the morning of 

 April 29, we repaired to the wild lilac patch to watch the 

 hummingbirds, in order, if possible, to discover the reason for 

 their presence in such a supposedly out-of-the-way place for 

 the Calliope. Away from the Sierra Nevada Mountains there 

 are but few records for the state except in the extreme north 

 and south, and there solely upon high mountain ranges, the 

 only authentic ones being of migratory birds. Singularly 

 enough, however, there are two or three from the vicinity of 

 Oakland, Berkeley, and Hay ward, Alameda County (Pacific 

 Coast Avifauna, No. 12, A Distributional List of the Birds 

 of California, p. 88). There were, apparently, no trustworthy 

 breeding records for any part of the state below 4000 feet, 

 hence it was a matter of great interest to know what these 

 birds were doing in this place at an altitude of only 2300. 

 Their activities seemed to be confined to this sort of small, 

 southerly exposed pocket lying against a low hill on one side, 

 whose slope was covered with the white lilac in full bloom. 

 On the east and south sides was the forest running up into 

 the high hills, with its nearest edge partially cut over, while 

 to the westward the little pocket opened out into the larger 

 valley, forming a warm and sheltered nook. In its center ran 

 a very low little ridge covered with scattered pine and oak 

 trees, with here and there bunches of lilac and manzanita 

 bushes among which small fir, pine and oak saplings were 

 growing, at whose feet were many wildflowers — altogether a 

 most favored spot. 



There were several hummers darting about at the moment 

 of our arrival that morning, among them being one or two 

 Anna Hummingbirds (Calypte anna). Of the Calliopes there 

 were mostly males in evidence, the females either being much 

 scarcer or else keeping more out of sight — a point not defin- 

 itely determined. The courting actions of the Calliope were 

 as follows : — The males would poise in the air, each individual 

 seeming to remain in his particular plane — that is, neither 

 rising nor falling — for quite a prolonged period, often turning 



