THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



A FOGGY SUNSET, FROM THE TUG. 

 (farallone islands) 



NESTING OF THE CINNAMON TEAL. 



BY FRED A. SCHNEIDER. 



It has always been my experience that, 

 disregarding the rarity, the first nest one 

 discovers of any species is the most inter- 

 esting. One always imagines that it is 

 something very rare, but in the end it turns 

 out to be some stray migrant that has lost 

 its way, or in the case of remaining in 

 Santa Clara county, it is probably because 

 they appreciate the superior climate. 



One of the first nests I ever found was a 

 Plain Tit's, and as I failed to see the parent 

 bird plainly, in my excited state of mind I 

 was sure it was a Pygmy Owl's and de- 

 cided that I would not trade any of the 

 eggs. 



To resume my story. I have searched 

 miles of swamp land during past summers 

 for nests of the Cinnamon Teal, but until 

 the present year my efforts have availed 

 me nothing. This season, liowever, I have 



been well repaid by finding, not only my 

 first but my fifth nest, and in this article I 

 will endeavor to give a careful description 

 of their nests, but with little attempt at 

 describing their habits, as I have not had 

 opportunity to study them. 



There are but two suitable places that I 

 know of for them to breed in near here- 

 One is a swamp about seven miles from 

 College Park, in an easterly direction, and 

 this is where my search was made eventful 

 by the discovery of my first nest. 



The swamp is covered with a variety of 

 vegetation. In the center and deepest part 

 tall tules rise many feet above one's head, 

 and in these numbers of Tule Wrens build 

 their deceptive nests. A great many Coots 

 breed here, and I am told our Bitterns also 

 nest in the dense tules. Last year I found 

 a Marsh Hawk's nest in the same place. 



Where the water is quite .shallow rushes 

 grow luxuriantly and in the dead bunches 

 vSoras and California Clapper Rails, Gallin- 

 ules, Coots and others nest, but very rarely 



