1889.] Jerrrices, Birds observed at Santa Barbara. 2 
i) 
= 
were daily noted all along the valley. Wherever the finely 
powdered soil had been stripped of vegetation and allowed to 
bake in the sun Sfeotyto cunicularia hypogaea was found. 
Cathartes aura proved abundant and very tame. Several 
‘Hawks were seen, but proving shy, we took Acc¢piéter coopert 
and falco sparvertus only. Zenatdura macroura showing a 
preference for cultivation was rare. Two or three pairs of Geo- 
coccyx califurnianus were seen almost daily, and were not very 
shy unless chased, when they at once made for brush. 
Of the Zonotrichiea the most abundant was eamdclZ, next so 
coronata, but few of ¢cxztermedza were taken. 
Woodpeckers, if we except Colaptes cafer, found everywhere, 
were not common, presumably from the lack of heavy timber. 
Melanerfes formictvorus batrdi we found almost exclusively in 
live oaks. Dryobates nuttall?z was seen and taken, as also D. 
pubescens gairdneriz, the latter being the rarer.  Salp/nctes 
obsoletus, found in rocky canons only, was scldom seen. One 
such canon to which a shepherd boy took us in search of this 
Wren was fairly alive with snakes; every step seemed to startle 
up one or more. Our bare-footed guide soon beat a retreat. 
The common Hummer found everywhere was 7rochélus anna. 
T. rufus, although numerous, was very generally found in or 
near live-oak groves. In such a grove we found it breeding in 
numbers April 16. The nests were placed on the under side of 
the fronds of a large fern which grew luxuriantly in the deep 
shade. 
March 14, a single specimen of Funco hyemal’s was taken 
from a flock of seemingly similar birds. When startled they flew 
too near a house to allow of our taking a secondexample. ¥. 2. 
oregonus Was not seen by us before April 13. 
Callipepla californica vallicola, although abundant, was not 
easily taken because of their fondness for treeing on the canon side, 
or racing when onthe level. Aphelocoma californica, Melospiza 
fasciata heermanni, Pipilo fuscus crissalis, Vireo huttont, Den- 
droica audubont, Parus tnornatus, Chamer fasciata henshawi, 
Psaltriparus minimus californicus were all present in good 
numbers, as also Zroglodytes aédon parkmanié on the higher 
ground almost exclusively. Svaléa mexicana, breeding March 
20, Melospiza lincolnt, Polioptila cerulea, and Sayornis saya 
were none of them common. This was the case also with Sayor- 
