1875.] 165 [Bendire. 



70. Herodias calif ornica Baird. " December 14th. About 

 fifteen miles south of here I have found a large heronry, said to be 

 of this species. There must be at least three hundred nests or 

 more." 



71. Botaurus lentiginosis Steph. Two individuals of this 

 species were noted at Lake Malheur, April 16th. 



72. Porzana jamaicensis Cassin. A single specimen of the 

 black rail was noticed April 16th, near Lake Malheur. 



73. Cygnus americanus Sharpless. "November 14th. I 

 took the measurement of two swans yesterday, which one of the 

 officers shot on Lake Harney a few days ago, where they are very 

 numerous at present. Both I take to be of this species. One, an 

 adult female, measured, length to the end of the tail, 52 inches; to 

 the end of the feet, 55 in.; stretch of wings, 76 in.; tarsus to end of 

 claws, 10.5 in.; bill, 4.5 in.; a pale orange spot in front of eyes; bill 

 and feet entirely black; eyes blue. The stomach of this speci- 

 men contained about twenty small shells, perhaps half an inch in 

 length — 1 have found large numbers of this same shell on the beach 

 near Los Angeles, California — quite a quantity of gravel and a few 

 black seeds. The smaller specimen measured as follows: length to end 

 of tail, 50 inches; stretch of wings, 70 in.; a small patch of brown on 

 the top of the head; no orange in front of the eyes; bill reddish except 

 the tip and base; feet black; contents of the stomach nearly the 

 same as in the other. This one is evidently an immature specimen. 

 Both were exceedingly fat. I ate a piece of the younger, and found 

 the meat very good, much better than that of the wild goose. 



"April 18th. I saw, on the 16th, large flocks of swans, but all that 

 were killed were of this species. There was not a single buccinator 

 among them." 



74. Bernicla canadensis Boie. "April 29th. I found at 

 Lake Malheur several Canada geese breeding, with from four to six 

 eggs in each nest. I have several of their eggs under a hen now." 



75. Pelecanus erythrorhynchus Gm. April 16th and April 

 28th, visits were made to Lake Malheur. The following extracts are 

 from letters dated April 18th and 29th: " I have just returned this 

 evening from my first cruise in Malheur Lake, which has been sailed 

 over for the first time. As an egg hunting expedition it has proved 

 a perfect success. I obtained about a hundred eggs of the white 

 pelican on one of the islands in the lake, the only one they use, 



