Jan., 1917 FROM FIELD AND STUDY 25 



in which the eggs were, almost fell to pieces when taken. The eggs are nearly pure white, 

 sparsely marked on the large end with small pinkish spots, and are bluntly ovate in shape. 

 — J. R. Pemberton, Colton, California. 



The Baird Sandpiper in the State of Washington. — Until the present fall of 1916, 

 to the best of my knowledge, we have had nothing but "sight records" for this species 

 {Pisobia bairdii) as a visitor to Washington. In my own experience of nineteen years 

 1 have never even seen it before. Therefore, it was with the greatest interest that Mr. 

 Stanton Warburton, of Tacoma, and the writer found them in fair numbers on the Tacoma 

 flats during the latter part of July, August, and early September, 1916. The first was a 

 female, seen and collected on July 26. A male was collected on August 5, another male 

 on the 11th, a male on August 29, and the last seen was a male taken on September 5. 

 They never appeared in flocks, usually flying in two's and three's, four being the largest 

 number seen together at any one time. The other small sandpipers did not seem to in- 

 terest them much, as they were usually found alone or in the company of one or two 

 Semi-palmated Plover {Aegialitis semipalmata) ; however, the few times that we saw 

 them flying with flocks of other small sandpipers, they separated from the main flock as 

 soon as they stopped to feed. — J. Hooper Bowles, Tacoma, Washington. 



Vermilion Flycatcher near Los Angeles. — On March 3, 1916, I secured an adult 

 male Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus mexicanus) at Nigger Slough, Los An- 

 geles County. — I. D. Nokes, Los Angeles, California. 



How Does the Shrike Carry its Prey?— I want to report the behavior of California 

 Shrike (Lanius I. gambeli) in carrying a dead bird. The shrike flew against a window 

 pane near where I was, and dropped a dead "White-crown". When the sparrow was 

 picked up again it was seized by the neck, and the shrike flew off with it. But before it 

 had gone more than a yard, and while about a foot in the air, the shrike released its 

 hold on the neck of the prey, and, without hesitating or altering its course, caught the 

 sparrow in its feet. The flight was continued for about fifteen yards, and then the 

 shrike dropped to the ground. It started off at once and the same behavior was re- 

 peated; the prey was picked up by the neck with the beak and this hold was given up, 

 while flying, for the hawk hold. The substitution is almost instantaneous; the burden 

 does not drop perceptibly and the flight is continuous and steady. 



Since I had never seen this before, I have wondered whether the actions noted are 

 usual or not. — C. O. Esterly, Scripps Institution, La Jolla, California, December 30, 1916. 



Notes on the California Jay in Humboldt County. — In the September issue of The 

 Condor, Mr. Joseph Mailliard records the California Jay (Aphelocoma c. calif ornica) 

 from the vicinity of Humboldt Bay. I was with Mr. Mailliard when the bird referred to 

 was taken. This was back of Areata, some distance from the coast and above the red- 

 wood timber line. 



On November 13, 1916, I traveled from Eureka to Petrolia, 55 miles south of Hum- 

 boldt Bay. While passing over the ridge known as the Wild Cat, 29 miles from Eureka, 

 I saw two California Jays below the road, perched in hazel-nut bushes. Upon trying to 

 secure one, the birds became aware of my actions and immediately took refuge in a 

 dense growth of spruce. I returned to the road and passed over a small ridge into an- 

 other gulley where, perched on a fence post near the road, was another California Jay. 

 It showed no concern till I stepped onto a nearby knoll, when it flew to a spruce tree 

 nearby taking a stand on the outer end of a limb. It was closely followed by another jay 

 which had been concealed in the brush. This was in sight of the ocean and but two 

 miles distant from it. 



On the 15th of the same month 1 found the California Jay commen along the coun- 

 ty road running from Petrolia to Briceland, in southern Humboldt County. 



Today, December 26, while passing over a bit of our new highway but two miles 

 distant from the south end of Humboldt Bay, at the head of a small gulch, altitude less 

 than 50 feet, two of these jays crossed the road directly in front of me and flew into a 

 nearby willow; one perched itself in plain view while the other disappeared in the dense 

 undergrowth. The point where these two jays were seen is eleven miles by road from 

 Eureka and approximately two miles air-line from the ocean.— C. I. Clay, Eureka. Cali- 

 fornia, December 26, 1916. 



