1908] Grinnell—Biota of the San Bernardino Mountains. 123 
Sitta carolinensis aculeata (Cassin). Slender-billed Nuthatch. 
The slender-billed nuthatch was fairly common wherever 
black oaks abounded, also among the pines in places much higher. 
It was often met with along the upper Santa Ana from Seven 
Oaks up. Around Dry lake as high as 9400 feet altitude, I saw a 
good many in June and July, and located several nests containing 
young. These were always in excavations made by the William- 
son sapsucker in tamarack pines. The species was fairly common 
at Bluff lake and around Bear lake, on the north side of Sugar- 
loaf and around Gold mountain. One bird was seen at the spring 
at Cactus Flat, 6000 feet altitude, August 16, 1905, this being 
the farthest toward the desert we saw the species. Fourteen 
specimens in all were secured. 
Sitta canadensis Linneus. Red-breasted Nuthatch. 
We agreed that the red-breasted nuthatch was one of the 
rarest birds in the San Bernardino mountains. The peculiar 
nasal call-note, so unmistakable when one has become familiar 
with it, was heard at Dry lake, 9000 feet altitude, on June 21, 
1905, on the north side of San Bernardino peak among the silver 
firs at 7500 feet, July 12, and on several occasions during July 
at Bluff lake. Finally, on September 2, 1905, I shot a single 
specimen from a tall pine at the latter place. These birds seemed 
to prefer the tops of the loftiest conifers, where they were very 
difficult to discern. In fact, the one secured was the only one 
that I am sure of having seen. 
Sitta pygmaea Vigors. Pigmy Nuthatch. 
The pigmy nuthatch was most numerous in the lower Tran- 
sition zone, in the Jeffrey and yellow pine belt. It was fairly 
common near Seven Oaks, and up the Santa Ana to Big Meadows. 
On the south base of Sugarloaf and in the vicinity of Fish ereek 
and South Fork the species was found nesting. Full-grown 
young were noted in the second named locality on July 9, 1905. 
On the flat to the west of South Fork, at about 7000 feet altitude, 
June 12, 1906, a nest was found in a rotten pine stub eight feet 
above the ground. The cavity seemed to have been excavated by 
