1875.1 363 [Nelson. 



often seen in straggling flocks high up in the air. I counted over 

 sixty in one flight in October. I saw them alight but once, when 

 they kept on the tops of some dead pines chasing each other from 

 tree to tree. Often saw them fly up into the air, and after hovering 

 return again to the same branch. They sometimes pursue insects, 

 darting after them, and turning in the chase with as much dexterity 

 as a flycatcher. They were very shy ; I hunted them for two hours 

 before getting a chance to shoot one, and only succeeded as they 

 flew off, when I shot two on the wing. 



56. Colaptes mexicanus Swainson. Mexican Flicker. 

 Abundant. Habits the same as C. auratus Sw. Moulted in October 

 and migrated the last of November. 



STRIGIM}. 



57. Scops asio Bon. Mr. Wentworth told me of a small 

 " Screech owl " that resided for some time in his pigeon house, which 

 from his description I think must have been this species. 



58. Glaucidium passerinum var. californicum Eidg. 

 California Pigmy Owl. Rare ; obtained two specimens, one of which 

 was in a small pine looking unconcernedly at a Bewick's Wren (var. 

 spilurus) which was scolding at it and appeared to be very much 

 enraged. The second I found bathing at midday in a shaded stream. 

 When it saw me it jumped upon a „tone and looked at me curiously, 

 but without any show of fear. 



FALCONID^. 



59. Accipiter fuscus Bonap. Common until the first of 

 December. Often seen about the ranches in October and November. 



60. Buteo sp. A large species of Buteo was frequently seen, 

 but it was so shy that it was impossible to shoot a specimen. 



61. Halisetus leucocephalus Savigny. Rare! Saw a 

 young one in the black plumage in November. 



CATHARTIC)^. 



62. Cathartes sp. Saw a flock of about twenty buzzards 

 soaring high over head one warm day in October. They were too 

 far away to enable me to identify the species. 



