Jan., 1917 THE TOWNSEND SOLITAIRE 15 



in western Nevada, The nest, as usual, was a bulky mass of pine needles, and 

 so placed that an overhanging point of rock protected it from the elements. 

 Some catastrophe had but recently overtaken this family, as four young birds 

 were lying dead on the rocks below, yet the parent birds still hovered silently 

 about in the vicinity. 



Seemingly more suitable to the habits of this species than the Last, were 

 the situations of the other two nests. One day, July 5, 1913, as I was forcing a 

 way up the steep heavily timbered slope of an immense glacier moraine south 

 of Fallen Leaf Lake near Lake Tahoe, a Solitaire flew from under a small over- 

 hanging granite boulder at 7500 feet altitude. The nest contained three fresh 

 eggs, and, as usual, was of pine needles, flush with the surface of the ground, 

 not much attempt having been made at concealment. In situation and mate- 

 rial this nest was the exact counterpart of the last one, found at Bijou, June 16, 

 1915, at 6500 feet altitude. 



Oakland, California, December 1, 1916. 



FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF FORRESTER ISLAND, ALASKA 



By GEORGE WILLETT 



THE following notes are supplementary to the two articles that have re- 

 cently appeared on the avifauna of Forrester Island, southeastern Alaska. 



One of these, by Professor Harold Heath, was published in The Condor 

 (vol. xvii, 1915, pp. 20-41), and the other, by myself, in the Auk (vol. xxxii, 

 1915, pp. 295-305). Since the publication of these papers, the writer has spent 

 two summers on Forrester Island in the interests of the United States Biolog- 

 ical Survey. To be exact, the additional time spent in the locality was from 

 April 23 to August 20, 1915, and from April 28 to August 31, 19m Owing to 

 my earlier arrival on the island in the springs of 1915 arid 1916, a number of 

 spring migrants were noted that were not seen at all in 1914, as I did not reach 

 the island until well along in May of that year. 



There were several marked differences between the spring migration of 

 1915 and that of 1916, probably to be accounted for by the very different 

 weather prevailing. The spring of 1915 was warm and mostly calm, while that 

 of 1916 was cold and stormy. Probably as a direct consequence of these condi- 

 tions, the number of species, as well as of individuals, observed during the 

 spring migrations was much fewer during the latter year than during the for- 

 mer. Also in the past summer the nesting land birds were less plentiful than 

 usual and mostly of later arrival. 



The following species are added to the island avifauna. 



Colymbus holboelli. Holboell Grebe. Fairly common in spring migration, May 3 

 to 10, 1915. 



Colymbus auritus. Horned Grebe. One bird seen in the harbor, May 6, 1915. 



Gavia pacifica. Pacific Loon. Abundant in the spring of 1915, being most plenti- 

 ful May 1 to 25. Two birds seen July 17. During the height of the spring migration 

 this species passed northward in an almost unbroken series of small groups, the flocks 

 occasionally alighting on the water for rest or food. All birds noted closely were in high 

 spring plumage. During the spring of 1916 only a few individuals were seen. 



Gavia stellata. Red-throated Loon. Three birds in spring plumage noted May 11, 

 1915. 



