68 THE CONDOR Vol. X 



Spizella socialis arizonae. Western Chipping Sparrow. Abundant everywhere 

 and in full song. One was seen carrying nesting material, and old nests were 

 found, which shows that they are summer residents. 



Passerella iliaca insularis(?) A Fox Sparrow was noted on April 21, 1905. It 

 was feeding on the ground beneath a clump of bushes, and at intervals uttered a 

 low warbling song, similar to the song of the Green-backed Goldfinch, but sw^eeter. 

 It probably belonged to the form insularis. 



Pipilo maculatus clementae. San Clemente Towhee. Very abundant especially 

 in the washes. Nine specimens, six males and three females were secured. Com- 

 pared with specimens of Pifilo maculatus megalonyx in my collection, they 

 have larger bills and are grayer dorsally, this latter condition being especially prom- 

 inent in the females. 



Cyanospiza amoena. lyazuli Bunting. Seen occasionally in the canyons 

 where water was present, but not very common. 



Lanius sp? About half a dozen shrikes were seen on the golf links back of 

 Avalon. In 1905 three fully fledged juveniles being fed by their parents, were noted. 

 The status of the Catalina shrike has not been determined. 



Helminthophila celata sordida. Dusky Warbler. Dusky Warblers were very 

 common in the canyons and in the «crub oaks on the hillsides, where they were 

 nesting. The hight of the breeding season must be the last of March, for many 

 fully fledged juveniles and nestlings were seen by the middle of April. They were 

 nesting in small scattered colonies, the nests usually being placed in scrub oaks- 

 from fifteen to twenty feet from the ground. Some nests however were built in 

 sumacs, and one was found in vines overhanging a gorge. They were quite bulky 

 affairs, made of leaves, small twigs, grass and bark, lined with fine grass or sheep's 

 wool. Dimensions of two nests are as follows: 



I. Diameter — Outside, 3.50 inches; inside, 1.50 inches. Depth — Outside, 

 5.00 inches; inside, 2.25 inches. 



II. Diameter — Outside, 3.75 inches; inside, 2.00 inches. Depth — Outside, 

 3.00 inches; inside, 1.50 inches. 



Several clutches of four eggs were noted, besides quite a number of incomplete 

 sets. The ground color of the eggs is ivory white, dotted and finely blotched with 

 burnt sienna and pale lilac. 



The female is a very close sitter, almost allowing herself to be removed b}^ the 

 hand, and when driven from the nest feigns a broken wing, falling lightly to the 

 ground, only to return and repeat the process, or utter scolding notes resembling 

 "chit-chit." 



The male bird was always present with the female when the nest was being 

 examined, but did not express so much anxiety as his mate. When the female was 

 sitting he would hop about in the nearby trees, uttering at intervals his beautiful 

 warbling song, "ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ch-ch-ch," beginning quite slowly and gradu- 

 ally gaining in rapidity. This, I must say, is a poor rendition of the song, as 

 there is a certain metalic ring to it, which cannot be expressed in words. 



Dendroica auduboni. Audubon Warbler. Quite numerous in the washes. 



Mimus polyglottos leucopterus. Western Mockingbird. Abundant every- 

 w^here and in full song. I was very much surprised to hear this bird give a perfect 

 imitation of the cry of the Western Gull. 



Thryomanes bewicki charienturus. San Diego Wren. Abundant in the 

 washes where many juveniles were observed, indicating that the breeding season is 

 early in March. 



Hylocichla guttata nana. Dwarf Hermit Thrush. A very few individuals of 

 this species were seen in the brush tangles in the canyons. One was heard singing 

 its exquisite song. 



Pasadena, California. 



