26 THE CONDOR Vol. IX 



By a stream I saw a small hole in a stub of a tree about six feet above the 

 water. It contained the nest of a Vigors wren. There were seven fresh eggs on a 

 lining of grass and many feathers. The bird was absent but soon returned. She 

 uttered no cry while I was near. The woodpeckers' nests I saw were built in solid 

 oak trees and could not be looked into. May 19, I found a fresh set of five linnet's 

 eggs that had no spots on them. It was in a nest in an oak about twelve feet from 

 the ground. There was also a set of Jdoves' eggs in a nest in an oak about twelve 

 feet from the ground. On the 24th I found another set of dove's on some drift 

 wood by the creek. 



Around SpEncerville, May 27 to June 3. — I found a nest of the western lark 

 sparrow containing four incubated eggs. The nest was built on the ground in the 

 pine needles under a dead pine limb. The birds were quiet. Also a nest of the 

 brown towhee containing four incubated eggs which had been deserted on account 

 of rain. Another deserted nest of the same species contained one fresh egg. 



The next day I found another nest of the western lark sparrow. It was built in 

 the top of a scrub oak about six feet from the ground, and contained two incu- 

 bated and one fresh egg. The two incubated eggs were probably caused by the 

 bird covering the eggs during the few days' rain we had, the fresh egg being laid 

 after. I also found another nest of the California jay. It was built in an oak about 

 six feet from the ground and contained four fresh eggs. The parent bird, altho 

 startled, did not utter a sound. This is about the only time this noisy bird will 

 hold its tongue! The next day I found two nests of the valley partridge. One 

 nest contained twelve, the other seventeen fresh eggs. Both were built on the 

 ground under young oaks growing on the line that was brushed out the previous 

 year. There were many deserted nests of birds, containing eggs and dead young. 

 This was the first instance the farmers could remember of having such rains at this 

 time of the year. 



lyiME KiEN, June 8 to io. — The new birds I saw here are as follows: I found 

 two nests of the western robin, one containing two, the other three fresh eggs. 

 Both nests were built in oaks near the ground and exposed. The materials used 

 were straw, mud, string and rags. I found four nests of the spotted sandpiper 

 {Actitis macularia). On an island in the middle of a creek I found a nest with one 

 fresh egg. The egg was placed in a depression on the ground among a little grass. 

 On the other side of the island was a mother with four young. She kept up a 

 continual cry. The young matched the color of the ground. On the bank of the 

 creek I found a nest of this species containing four fresh eggs. It was located on 

 the ground under a tree. The depression was lined with a few grasses. The eggs 

 all pointed toward the center. Another nest was built on the shore among the 

 rocks and contained no lining. It contained four fresh eggs. 



A nest of the lazuli bunting, containing four incubated eggs was built in a live 

 oak bush about three feet from the ground. The materials were plant fibers lined 

 with hair. Near the same place I found three nests of the black-headed grosbeak. 

 One nest in an oak contained two fresh eggs, the other two were built in the same 

 alder tree and contained one and three eggs respectively. All the nests were 

 made of purplish-colored rootlets. In an adjoining alder, which I climbed to look 

 into one of the grosbeaks' nests, I came across a yellow warbler's nest containing 

 four slightly incubated eggs. It was built against the main trunk and was made of 

 alder fibers, willow down and hair. The bird was absent. I also saw a nest con- 

 taining five young flickers. They were so large they completely filled the exca- 

 vation, and could fly when I took them out. 



