July, 1917 WINTER MIGRATION OF 1916-17 IN THE NORTHWEST 129 



here, is the Redpoll (Acanthis linaria linaria), my first specimen for the sea- 

 son being taken on February 3, 1917. After that date Redpolls were seen sev- 

 eral times, one flock containing at least a thousand individuals. I examined 

 them carefully with a glass at short range, but could see none that might have 

 belonged to any other varieties of Redpoll. 

 Tacoma, Washington, April 5, 1917. 



OBSERVATIONS ON SOME FRESNO COUNTY BIRDS 



By H. S. SWARTH 

 (Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California) 



DURING the fall of 1916 the writer, together with Mr. Joseph Dixon and 

 Mr. Halsted G. White, in carrying on field work for the Museum of Ver- 

 tebrate Zoology in the Kings River section of the Sierra Nevada, had oc- 

 casion to do some bird collecting at a point lying just within the boundary of 

 the territory covered by John G. Tyler in his papers on "Birds of the Fresno 

 Region, California" (Pacific Coast Avifauna no. 9, 1913, and Condor, xviii, 

 1916, p. 167 and p. 194). In the course of our observations several species were 

 encountered not included in those lists, as well as others whose presence is 

 based upon such scanty data that it seems desirable to place on record state- 

 ments as to the manner in which we found them. 



We stayed at the little hamlet of Minkler, in the southern part of Fresno 

 County, some ten miles east of the town of Sanger. At this point the valley 

 for miles around is largely devoted to vineyards, practically all arable land 

 being under cultivation, and in what would seem to be an unfavorable condi- 

 tion for birds ; but the bottomlands of the Kings River, in this section split up 

 into innumerable narrow and tortuous channels, is a wilderness of tangled 

 willows and underbrush that forms a haven of refuge for many species. Many 

 birds, too, did seem to find attraction in the vineyards. About a mile to the 

 eastward the first of the Sierran foothills rises abruptly, barren of trees or 

 underbrush, but well covered with grasses and other forage plants, and evi- 

 dently used at times for cattle grazing. Scattered oyqt the hills are numerous 

 rock piles of varying extent. 



Birds were numerous, and the variety of surroundings and cover found 

 within a relatively small area was productive of many rather striking contrasts 

 among species observed in close proximity. We remained at Minkler ten days, 

 October 4 to 13, and during this time seventy-seven species of birds were listed 

 by our party. Of these, the following sixteen seem worthy of special mention 

 regarding their occurrence at this point. 



Buteo lineatus elegans. Red-bellied Hawk. Included in Tyler's supplementary 

 list as occurring sparingly in the Kings River bottoms near Sanger. This is the section 

 we were in, and one or more of these hawks were seen daily, while they could be heard 

 constantly giving their characteristic chattering call as they circled overhead. 



Phalaenoptilus nuttalli californicus. Dusky Poor-will. One specimen recorded by 

 Tyler. I saw one in a vineyard at Minkler, October 5, and others were seen or heard at 

 points farther back in the hills. It is undoubtedly of fairly common occurrence in this 

 section. 



