1880.] List of the Birds of the Willamette Valley, Oregon. 487 
” 
of a dog, the call note is tremulous, “ whaat-r-r-r,” in the same 
key as the alarm note, only ending in a trill. Every evening and 
often on cloudy days, their song can be heard from every thicket; 
it is a peculiar whistle, ascending a scale of four notes, and 
sounds like “ holsey-govendy-govindy-goveendy.” They feed upon 
the ground. 
4. Stalia mexicana Swains, (Western bluebird). — A common 
summer resident, breeding in deserted woodpecker’s holes, knot- 
holes and crevices, especially delighting in favorable situations 
about bu'ldings; they will for years return to the same place, even 
if roughly treated. Their only note isa mournful “ soen.” They 
feed upon the ground, dropping upon their prey from an elevated 
position. 
5. Cinclus mexicanus Swains. (water ouzel).—Found on all the 
dashing streams in the valley. I saw but one nest and that was 
shown me by the owner of a mill, and he said that a brood had been 
raised for four successive years in the same nest. It was placed 
between the ends of two projecting planks in the dam, and was 
an open nest, the upper plank rendering the dome part superflu- 
ous; it was of moss and the bark of the cedar from the logs in 
the vicinity. I suppose that they remain all winter, for I saw 
them in the Bitter Root mountains, in Idaho, when ice was form- 
ing on the streams and the snow two feet deep. The alarm note 
is a faint “ chip,” expressing interrogation rather than fear, anda 
song that is seldom heard, owing to the rushing and roaring sur- 
roundings ; it comes as a faint lisping “ sweet-tweet tr-r-r-eet,” very 
prolonged, but rendered almost inaudible by its turbulent accom- 
paniment. Their food, I suppose, is entirely aquatic, though I 
had one make an unsuccessful attempt at an artificial fly cast near 
it, showing that it knew a “ tit-bit” as well as its scaly neighbor. 
6. Regulus satrapa Licht. (golden-crowned kinglet)—Common 
throughout the winter in flocks, busily searching for insects 
among the dense second growth of Abies douglassii. Their note at 
this time is a very faint “ ¢seep,” answered quickly by the others. 
T have never seen the eggs or nest, | 
7. Regulus calendula Licht. (ruby-crowned kinglet)—Solitary 
individuals seen occasionally during the winter and spring among — 
the thickets of rose and Spiræa. Never saw its nest or eggs. 
8. Parus occidentalis Baird (western titmouse), called “ chicka- 
dee.” —Common throughout the year; breeding abundantly in 
