290 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



Although the mountain is something over 6000 feet high 

 at the point here visited but few birds were noted that were 

 not found down at the river level, which was about 1300 feet, 

 where we were staying. The Sierra Red-breasted Sapsucker 

 (Sphyrapiciis varius daggetti) and the Pygmy Nuthatch 

 (Sitta pygmcea pygmcsa) were about the only ones worth 

 special mention. 



The most prominent bird in this locality was the Northern 

 Pileated Woodpecker (Phlceotomiis pileatiis alhieticola) , 

 several of which were seen and oftener heard, but no nests 

 were found nor did any actions of those observed seem to 

 indicate that they were then feeding young. Cassin's Vireo 

 at first appeared to be very numerous here, and four nests 

 were located within the first twenty-four hours of our stay, 

 but it afterward turned out that we had come across a good 

 proportion of those present in this short space of time, for 

 but few other pairs were seen, and no more nests discovered. 

 Black oaks seemed to be their favorite nesting place, but one 

 nest was found in a scraggly manzanita bush, eight feet from 

 the ground. Seven to ten feet appeared to be the usual height 

 from the ground, although, of course, there may have been 

 others at a greater height that we did not discover. The 

 Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) breeds here in 

 limited numbers, one nest containing four nearly fresh eggs 

 being taken near the river on May 22. As is common with 

 this species this nest was out toward the end of a horizontal 

 branch of a Douglas fir (Pseitdotsuga macrocarpa) twenty- 

 five feet from the ground, and was secured by Little, who 

 "shinned" up a sapling pole held in place with guy ropes. 

 One or two other nests of this species were found but were 

 not finished at the time of our leaving. Several mergansers 

 were seen on the river, one of which flew up or down stream 

 nearly every day, uttering most unmusical notes in passing. 

 We did not succeed in capturing any, but were near enough 

 to be fairly sure that they were americanus. 



The country at this point is all Transition, with a good deal 

 of open pasture land on the southerly exposed hillsides, and 

 looks as if it ought to be a very attractive place for birds. 

 During our stay the vicinity was well gone over, within a 

 radius of two or three miles at least, but the birds were 



