July, 190S SUM:\IER BIRDS OF THE UPPER SALINAS VAIXEY 139 



Progne subis hesperia. Western Martin. Common. Mostly around settlements. 



Pipilo fuscus crissalis. California Towhee. Common. 



Zamelodia melanocephala. Black-headed Grosbeak. Common. 



Cyanospiza amcena. Lazuli Bunting. Rather common in river bottom. 



Petrochelidon lunifrons. Cliff Swallow. Common. 



Tachycineta bicolor. Tree Swallow. Common in river bottom. 



Tachycineta thalassina lepida. Violet-green Swallow. Very common. 



Riparia riparia. Bank Swallow. Common. 



Pttainopepla nitens. Phainopepla. Not rare. 



Lanius ludovicianus gambeli. California Shrike. Common. 



Toxostoma redivivum. California Thrasher. Common. 



Troglodytes aedon parkmanii. Parkman Wren. Common. 



Sitta carolinensis aculeata. Slender-billed Nuthatch. Common among oaks. 



Parus inornatus. Plain Titmouse. Common. 



Chamaea fasciata. Pallid Wren-tit. Not rare. 



Psaltriparus minimus californicus. California Bush-tit. Common. 



Polioptila caerulea obscura. Western Gnatcatcher. Abundant. 



Sialia mexicana occidentalis. Western Bluebird. Very common. 



Los Angeles, California. 



FIELD NOTES FROM ALASKA 



By JOSEPH DIXOX 



(EdiToriai, Note. — Mr. Dixon is a member of the 1908 Alexander Alaska Expedition, 

 which is now making zoological collections in the Prince Williams Sound region of southern 

 Alaska. ) 



Hinchinhrooh Island, Prince Williams Sound, Alaska, June 26, igoS. — We 

 are camped at the head of a little unnamed bay on the northeast side of Hinchin- 

 brook Island. There is the usual salmon creek emptying into the head of the bay. 

 On either side of the creek there is a swamp of devil club and tall salmon berry 

 bushes, while large spruce trees are sprinkled evenly over this swamp. These 

 trees prove an aggravation to the collector every day as the Ruby-crowned King- 

 lets and Crossbills flit around in the top branches of them and laugh at us. They 

 are out of range of anything smaller than number four shot and if I did get one, 

 the chances are nine out of ten that it would lodge on one of the thick, spreading, 

 moss-covered branches. 



The other folks say that there are stacks of fox sparrows there but no one has 

 brought in more than two of them at any one time. Varied and Hermit Thrushes 

 are about as common as usual but the .Varied Thrushes are rather wary and most 

 of them are feeding young ones now. 



It has not rained for some three weeks which is a terribly long dry spell for 

 this country. The days have been warm and often sunshiny affording a fine op- 

 portunity for us to drj^ our skins especially the larger ones. This warm weather 

 has also brought on swarms of mosquitoes and clouds of little sand flies. The mos- 

 quitoes have five grayish white bands around their abdomens which gives them a 

 zebra-like appearance; but they are the most blood thirsty lot that I have ever met, 

 for they no sooner noiselessly light on one than they begin to probe and they never 

 stop until they reach bottom. I have had them bite thru a heavy flannel shirt and 

 heavy wool underwear, but "duxbak" clothing is too much for their sharp bills. 



