294 BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. 



Washington, leopard, and red lilies' abound and flourish luxuriantly, attaining often a 

 height of eight to ten feet and more. Further down in the valleys the exquisite broad- 

 leaved madroiia^ and the lovely mazanita' beautify the landscape together with 

 California lilacs*, garryas, oso berry®, and other shrubs. The most beautiful of the 

 evergreen trees of this region is the California laurel", its dense growth and symmetry 

 commanding attention wherever found. Another charming evergreen tree is the islay^ 

 with its abundant lustrous leaves, its racemes of white flowers, and its handsome fruit. 

 The tollon or California Christmas berry* is a common tree of the coast region. In 

 winter, "when its branches are covered with great clusters of scarlet fruit, whose effect- 

 iveness is increased by the contrasting color of the ample lustrous dark green fdliage, 

 the tollon is more beautiful perhaps than any other North American tree." Few countries 

 can vie in beauty w^ith the California spring flora. I can only mention the gorgeous 

 mariposa or butterfly tulips®, and the yellow California poppy'". Near many rural 

 homes groves or single specimens of the evergreen oaks" form an exquisite feature. 



The birds occurring in gardens and woodlands are different from those of our 

 eastern groves. Instead of one Bluebird we find here two species. The eastern King- 

 bird is represented by the Arkansas Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), and the Ruby- 

 throated Hummingbird, the only species of the entire Eastern North America, is repre- 

 sented west of the Rocky Mountains by at least eight species. The Bush-tit, Townsend's 

 Solitaire, the Phainopepla, the Cactus Wren, etc., find no representatives in the East. 

 The fiery-colored Baltimore Oriole is represented in the California gardens by the less 

 gorgeously colored Bullock's Oriole, California Oriole, California Hangnest, California 

 Firebird, or California Golden Robin. 



It is found throughout the Pacific shore, from western Kansas and Texas to the 

 Ocean and from Mexico northward to Washington. In the California gardens, especially 

 in the evergreen oaks, it is as confiding and familiar as its eastern congener. Mrs. Sophia 

 Zimmermann, now of Santa Barbara, Cal., has sent me the following description: 



"The beautiful spring flowers have vanished. The waving grain-fields fill the heart 

 of the farmer with hope for a rich harvest. Now, at last, our Orioles and Kingbirds 

 arrive. They are late comers, rarely arriving at San Miguel before the 15th of April. 

 The first brood of the House Finches are ready to leave the nest, but I am unable to 

 detect the Orioles at their work of building. Not before April 23 I notice high in an 

 oak, close to our dwelling, a pouch-like nest; it is built very near their old domicile. 

 The nest is always an exquisite piece of workmanship, and the birds usually complete 

 it in a few days. The eggs, four to five in number, are bluish-white, marked with 

 blotches and zigzag lines of dark brown. 



"All the nests I have found, hung in the extremity of horizontal branches. Some 

 could be reached by hand, others were placed high up in the trees, while the majority 

 stood in half-height. Only now and then two nests were found in one tree. The nesting 

 material differs with the locality. Grasses, horse hair, moss, hemp-hke fibers, wool- 

 strings, and twine are usually employed in the construction of the nest. From the many 



' IJHum Humbolrltli, L. Waabingtoaianium , L,. pardalittum, L. rubescens. s Arbutus Meiitiesii. 3 Arclostaphylos 

 glauca. •< Ccanothas. o Niittallia ccraslformls. » I'lnbcllulaHa valironiica. 1 Ptuuus iliclfolia, » Heteromelcs arbutifolia. 

 9 Calochortus. i" liacbscholU/a California, n Quercus deaslBora, Q. agritolla. 



