THE OOLOGIST. 



13a 



the nest. It had been situated upon 

 a horizontal branch of the tree about 

 ten feet from the ground. Mean- 

 while the birds made their appear- 

 ance. Both possessed crests; the 

 male, a dashing, restless fellow, was 

 of a bluish-black color, and as 

 he flew I noticed a white patch under 

 each wing. The female was of a duller 

 hue but quite as restless as her mate. 

 I supposed they were phainopepla nitens 

 and subsequentl r found my conject- 

 ure correct. I resolved to visit the 

 place on the following day. 



Early morning found me again in 

 this retreat. By the stream several spe 

 cies of Humming-birds, whose resplen- 

 dent plumage flashed in the gleam of 

 day, darted hither and thither among 

 the blossoming plants culling their nec- 

 tarean food while poised on murmuring 

 wringlets before the varied-hued flow- 

 ers. In numbers the Anna's probably 

 excelled, yet the Allen's was numerous,a 

 few Alexander's, or Black-chinned were 

 noticed and an occasional Costa's, which 

 had wandered iuto this retired nook, 

 was recognized by its violet gorget. 

 From a neighboring upland came the 

 cheery whistle of the Meadowlark 

 while in the vale there surged a flood 

 of melodious song, the rippling accents 

 breaking high up the sides of thcl adja- 

 cent mountains. Warblers and Wrens 

 in well tuned lays, Thrashers and Mock- 

 ing-birds in extravagant medleys, and 

 Finches in joyous songs joined in this 

 happy orchestra of the woods, while 

 the tentative warblings of the Towhee, 

 the querulous notes of the Pewee and 

 the mournful coo of the Dove broke oc- 

 casionly upon the ear. 



Hopeful of making tbe desired dis- 

 coveries, with eyes alert, I proceeded 

 slowly along the valley. My way led 

 through a patch of cacti; while in the 

 midst of these a startled Mourning 

 Dove fluttered noiselessly from a cactus 

 at my side; upon one of the thorny 

 leaves I found her nest and eggs. A 

 moment later a House Finch betrayed 



her nest by a precipitous dash there- 

 from after a scramble among the spiny 

 leaves, I found her nest and five eggs. 

 A second set of the latter species to- 

 gether with a set of the California Tow- 

 hee were taken from oak trees in the 

 vicinity. 



A male Phainopepla next attracted 

 my attention by his strange antics. He 

 fluttered about a tree that was set some 

 what apart from the others uttering all 

 the while a "sweet bell-like note. As 

 there was evidently something of inter- 

 est to him upon one of the lower bran- 

 ches of the tree. I immediately consti- 

 tuted myself a committee on investiga- 

 tion. When I drew near I saw its nest 

 upon a horizontal branch about twelve 

 feet from the ground and to my joy 

 found in it two fresh eggs. While I 

 was after the nest the male flew from 

 tree to tree uttering its peculiar note. 

 The female appeai-ed upon the scene 

 just in time to witness the destruction 

 of her home and immediately joined 

 her mate in his mournful demonstra- 

 tions. During my subsequent search I 

 noticed about a dozen of the birds but 

 secured no more specimens. 



About ten days later a fellow oologist 

 and myself visited this avian haunt. 

 Nature was exultant under the genial 

 semi-tropic sun, the air rang with the 

 melodies of the merry choristers of this 

 wooded dell; now and then a Turkey- 

 Buzzard on sable wings swept silently 

 over the little valley, or a Western Red- 

 tail, reconnoiteringfor its prey, rose in 

 expansive circles higher and higher in 

 the unclouded firmament. Among the 

 gay-liveried inhabitants of the valley 

 that rendered themselves conspicuous 

 in their sportive flights were a number 

 of this species. 



The Phainopepla is of a restless, irres- 

 olute, suspicious disposition. When 

 perched it glances fretfully about utter- 

 ing all the while its sweet, bell-like note 

 and now and then giving its ample tail 

 a nervous jerk. In form it is slender 

 and active, the long tail and crest are 



